Conjuring: Last Rites Shatters Records: Tops ‘It’ with $194M Global Debut!

“The Conjuring: Last Rites” achieved an unexpectedly strong opening, setting a new record for the highest global debut ever for a horror movie.

This latest installment in the Warner Bros. and New Line’s supernatural series amassed a whopping $194 million globally in its opening weekend, surpassing the initially projected $187 million. This figure has now surpassed the previous record held by “It” in 2017, which opened to $190 million.

Internationally, “The Conjuring: Last Rites” set a new opening weekend record for a horror film by earning $110 million. The record was previously held by “It: Chapter Two” in 2019, which had an international debut of $92 million. Domestically, the film brought in $84 million, making it the third largest opening for a horror film in the U.S., behind two other Warner Bros. films: “It” ($123 million) and “It: Chapter Two” ($91 million). This release marked the best opening ever for the “Conjuring” franchise both domestically and internationally.

Directed by Michael Chaves, a seasoned director within the franchise, “The Conjuring: Last Rites” features Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga reprising their roles as paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, who confront a demonic presence in a family’s residence. James Wan, the creator of the franchise, along with Peter Safran, returned as producers. The “Conjuring” universe, which encompasses multiple sequels and spinoffs including “The Nun” and “Annabelle,” remains the most financially successful horror franchise, grossing over $2.3 billion.

With a production budget of $55 million, “The Conjuring: Last Rites” has quickly proven to be a financial success for Warner Bros. This achievement comes as part of a broader success streak for the studio, which has recently seen seven consecutive films debut with over $40 million each, a first in box office history. This follows a series of less successful releases, including “Joker: Folie a Deux,” “Mickey 17,” and “The Alto Knights.” Warner Bros. has rebounded with hits like “A Minecraft Movie,” “Sinners,” “Final Destination Bloodlines,” “F1: The Movie” (distributed for Apple), “Superman” and “Weapons.”