Home Film Box Office: ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s’ Aims for Scary-Good $50 Million Debut

Introduction

Universal and Blumhouse’s highly anticipated horror film, “Five Nights at Freddy’s,” is set for a successful box office debut. Based on the popular video game, the film is expected to earn at least $50 million in its opening weekend, possibly even surpassing this projection. What makes this achievement even more impressive is that the movie will also have a simultaneous release on Peacock, Universal’s streaming platform. This strategic move could give the film a significant boost, despite Peacock currently having fewer subscribers than its competitors, Disney+ and Netflix.

Horror Genre Debut Comparison

In terms of horror genre debuts in 2023, “Five Nights at Freddy’s” is expected to outperform previous hits such as “Scream VI,” which earned $44.4 million, “The Nun II,” which earned $32 million, “M3GAN,” which earned $30 million, and “The Exorcist: Believer,” which earned $26.4 million. These numbers indicate that horror films are still drawing in substantial audiences, and “Five Nights at Freddy’s” is poised to take the top spot.

The Return to Exclusive Theatrical Windows

Interestingly, many studios have been reverting back to exclusive theatrical releases, as it has proven to be more profitable than hybrid releases. “Five Nights at Freddy’s” aligns with this trend as it will have a traditional theatrical release alongside its debut on Peacock. This is advantageous for the film’s revenue potential as box office numbers tend to be higher for movies shown exclusively in theaters.

Box Office Performance of “Halloween Ends” and “Halloween Kills”

A similar strategy was employed with Universal’s “Halloween Ends,” which premiered in 2022 alongside a simultaneous release on Peacock. The film enjoyed a promising $40 million opening, but its ticket sales declined sharply in subsequent weeks. Overall, it grossed $64 million domestically and $104 million globally. Its predecessor, “Halloween Kills,” also had a simultaneous streaming release but performed better, earning $92 million domestically and $133 million worldwide. However, neither sequel could match the success of the first “Halloween” reboot in 2018, which played only in theaters and earned $159 million domestically and $259 million worldwide.

Potential Success of “Five Nights at Freddy’s”

In light of the lack of significant competition in the horror genre currently, “Five Nights at Freddy’s” is expected to dominate the domestic box office. This film will inject much-needed excitement into the fall box office, which has been relatively quiet compared to recent releases such as Taylor Swift’s “The Eras Tour” and Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon.”

Film Synopsis and Director

“Five Nights at Freddy’s,” directed by Emma Tammi, features Josh Hutcherson in the lead role as a security guard who accepts a night-time job at an abandoned establishment resembling Chuck E. Cheese. However, the family-friendly atmosphere quickly changes when Hutcherson’s character discovers the animatronic mascots’ sinister side, as they begin to kill anyone present after midnight.