‘Black Phone 2’ Opens Strong at $26.5M in US, $42M Worldwide, Boosting Blumhouse’s Comeback

Blumhouse saw a strong comeback with the horror sequel Black Phone 2, which opened to $26.5 million in the U.S. from 3,411 theaters and an additional $15.5 million internationally from 72 markets, totaling $42 million globally. This performance exceeded expectations and followed a series of previous studio misses, including the expensive flop M3GAN 2.0. Critics praised the sequel for expanding the Black Phone universe and it received a solid B CinemaScore, with Latinos, the most frequent U.S. moviegoers, making up 39% of the audience. Mexico was the top international market with $4.3 million. The film stars Ethan Hawke returning as the serial killer Grabber, with Mason Thames and Madeleine McGraw also reprising roles. Meanwhile, the R-rated comedy Good Fortune, directed by Aziz Ansari and starring a star-studded cast, opened poorly with $6.2 million domestically. Other notable releases include Warner Bros.’ One Battle After Another crossing $100 million globally, and Miramax’s Roofman performing moderately in its second weekend. Iranian director Jafar Panahi’s acclaimed film It Was Just an Accident opened strongly on limited screens, earning high per-location averages and winning the Palme d’Or at Cannes, with plans for a strong awards season campaign. The box office weekend reflected a mix of blockbuster success, indie wins, and some commercial disappointments.