Terrifier 3 Dominates Weekend Box Office: The Rise of Horror and the Fall of Joker: Folie a Deux

In a shocking turn of events at the weekend box office, Terrifier 3, the third installment of the much-discussed slasher franchise, emerged victorious in a season dominated by horror films. October is traditionally a month where horror reigns supreme, but few could have predicted that a developmentally humble series like Terrifier would pull in an impressive $18.8 million in its opening weekend. The film had a substantial release in over 2,500 theaters, undoubtedly benefiting from the holiday season's terrifying vibes.

A Clown's Ascendance: From Crowdfunded to Box Office Champion

The Terrifier franchise began its journey with the first film being crowdfunded for under $60,000 back in 2018, initially garnering a mere $805,000 in its opening weekend. In contrast, the sequel saw a remarkable surge in popularity, grossing over $10 million on a budget of just $250,000. This success paved the way for Terrifier 3, which delivered an outstanding performance this weekend—making it Lionsgate's most significant opening of the year.

With a modest production budget of $2 million, Terrifier 3 now sits among an elite group of horror films that have managed to exceed their expectations at the box office. Notably, it joins legendary films like Paranormal Activity 2 and Happy Death Day in the record books.

Within The Box Office Sphere: The Wild Robot and Joker's Disarray

Coming in second place was The Wild Robot, an animated feature that grossed $13.4 million, showing a robust 29% drop in its third weekend—a sign of its solid performance. This film has amassed an impressive domestic total of $83.7 million and is poised to reach $120-125 million by the end of its run.

Conversely, Joker: Folie a Deux faced a catastrophic decline, suffering an 81.4% drop in its second weekend, earning just $7.06 million. This staggering fall solidifies its place in box office history as one of the worst second-weekend drops for a film in over 3,000 theaters. With a current total of $51.6 million domestically, Joker: Folie a Deux is predicted to be one of 2024's biggest disappointments.

Highlights from the Rest of the Top Ten

In addition to the aforementioned titles, other contenders in the top ten included:

- Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, which continues to perform well, crossing the $275 million mark.

- Transformers One and My Hero Academia: You're Next, both bringing in solid numbers for their respective franchises.

This weekend also saw the release of several less successful titles, such as Piece by Piece, which opened to a modest $3.8 million against a $16 million budget, and The Apprentice, starting with just $1.5 million.

What's Next for Box Office Enthusiasts?

As we look forward to next weekend, Smile 2 is anticipated to challenge Terrifier 3 for the crown. With a solid fanbase from the original, expectations are high for this sequel to match or surpass the opening numbers of its predecessor.

In the ever-evolving landscape of cinema, it seems that horror is here to stay, and audiences are always eager for the next terrifying tale. What else awaits us this October? Keep your eyes peeled—Halloween season is just beginning!