Topline
“Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” topped the domestic box office this weekend, grossing an estimated $63 million according to early numbers reported by the Hollywood trade publications, making for a successful opening weekend despite getting panned by critics.
“Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” stars Elizabeth Lail and Josh Hutcherson attend the film’s Los Angeles Premiere.
Variety via Getty Images
Key Facts
“Five Nights at Freddy’s 2,” which saw the return of stars Josh Hutcherson and Elizabeth Lail, director Emma Tammi and franchise creator Scott Cawthon as screenwriter, opened at 3,412 theaters over the weekend.
The second installment of the horror video game-turned-film franchise also grossed an estimated $46 million overseas, for a combined $109 million overall opening weekend.
It’s a solid opening weekend for the horror film, which only cost a reported $36 million to make.
However, the film failed to surpass the $80 million domestic opening its predecessor made in 2023, which shattered records for the biggest Halloween opening at the box office in history.
Critics have panned “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2,” earning it a 12% critical score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 26 “generally unfavorable” rating on Metacritic—but critics also despised the first installment.
The series’ fans seem to be connecting with the new installment, giving it an 88% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a “B” Cinemascore based on surveys after screenings.
What Other Films Were Hits At The Box Office?
The other two big blockbusters that debuted in recent weeks took the second and third slots over the weekend. Disney’s “Zootopia 2” came in second with an estimated $43 million gross, for a combined $915 million over the world. “Zootopia 2” opened over Thanksgiving, grossing over $156 million at domestic theaters over the five-day holiday weekend—a fraction of what it pulled in overseas. It could become the second film of the year to make over $1 billion at the box office, after another Disney hit “Lilo & Stitch” broke that milestone over the summer. “Wicked: For Good” remained in third place, grossing about $15.6 million—a significant drop after a $91 million five-day Thanksgiving weekend.
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