Halloween is killing in the box office.
The reboot of the horror franchise has had an impressive opening weekend earning $77.5 million in North America.
The sequel to John Carpenter’s 1978 classic has scored the second-highest October opening ever, behind Venom’s $80.3 million earlier this month. Overseas, Halloween generated $14.3 million this weekend.
The film ignores the nine other remakes and picks up 40 years later, with Laurie Strode (Curtis) preparing for her inevitable rematch with masked killer Michael Myers,(James Jude Courtney).
“I am enormously proud of this film,” Jason Blum of Blumhouse Productions, who co-financed the film with Miramax said in a statement. “Halloween brings the franchise back to life in a fresh, relevant and fun way that is winning over fans and critics alike.”
“There had been quite some time between the original film,” Jim Orr, Universal’s president of domestic distribution said. “You combine that with the return of a tremendous star in Jamie Lee Curtis, great writing, great filmmaking. All of that comes together as a perfect storm.”
Curtis celebrated the film’s opening on Twitter, writing, “OK. I’m going for one BOAST post. Biggest horror movie opening with a female lead. Biggest movie opening with a female lead over 55. Second biggest October movie opening ever. Biggest Halloween opening ever.”
Rounding out the top five this weekend are A Star Is Born, with about $19.3 million; Venom, with about $18.1 million; Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween, with about $9.7 million; and First Man, with about $8.6 million.
OK. I’m going for one BOAST post. Biggest horror movie opening with a female lead.
Biggest movie opening with a female lead over 55.
Second biggest October movie opening ever.
Biggest Halloween opening ever #womengetthingsdone @halloweenmovie pic.twitter.com/DhUBy82z3U— Jamie Lee Curtis (@jamieleecurtis) October 21, 2018
