The Conjuring: Last Rites has stunned the box office with an $83 million domestic opening, making it the third highest-grossing horror debut ever and setting a new franchise record. This performance far exceeded expectations and underscores the genre’s strong appeal in theaters.
Industry analysts had projected an opening around $50 million based on tracking, but the film shattered those forecasts with an $83 million haul. This not only makes it the best start for any film in the Conjuring universe, surpassing the previous record held by 2018’s The Nun at $53.8 million, but also places it behind only the two It movies in horror history, with It (2017) at $123.4 million and It: Chapter Two (2019) at $91 million.
Internationally, The Conjuring: Last Rites performed even more impressively, grossing $104 million overseas for a global total of $187 million. This marks the biggest overseas opening for a Hollywood horror film of all time, demonstrating the franchise’s global reach and the widespread interest in supernatural horror narratives.
This success contributes to Warner Bros. Discovery’s dominance in the 2025 box office, with the studio now leading in domestic, overseas, and global market share. The Conjuring: Last Rites is their eighth No. 1 opener this year, and the studio has released several successful films, amassing a total of $3.77 billion worldwide.
The horror genre as a whole has been thriving in 2025, with total domestic box office surpassing $1 billion. Other notable performers include Warner Bros.’ Sinners, which opened in April and has grossed $278.6 million domestically, and Final Destination: Bloodlines, with $138.1 million. Weapons, another Warner Bros. title, is still in theaters and has accumulated $143 million.
Audience demographics played a significant role in the film’s performance, with a near-even split between male and female viewers (51% female) and a strong turnout from Hispanic and Latino audiences, who made up 43% of the domestic crowd. The film received a B CinemaScore, which is higher than some other horror entries, and a 58% definite recommend from PostTrak surveys, suggesting positive word-of-mouth.
Factors contributing to the strong performance include the marketing emphasis on this being the potential finale for the Warrens’ story, starring Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson, which may have driven fan interest. Additionally, the communal experience of watching horror in theaters continues to attract audiences, as noted by industry experts who compare it to a popular roller coaster ride.
Looking ahead, the horror genre shows no signs of slowing down, with upcoming releases like Universal’s Black Phone 2 on October 17 and Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 on December 5. This success reinforces Warner Bros.’ strategy with horror IP and could influence future production decisions, highlighting the resilience of theatrical releases for well-established franchises.