Warner Bros. appears to have struck another major horror success as The Conjuring: Last Rites begins its theatrical run with stunning results at the global box office. The latest entry in the long-running supernatural franchise collected an estimated $8.5 million from Thursday preview screenings in the United States, marking the strongest preview performance ever for a Conjuring film and one of the best for any R-rated horror title since the pandemic.
The figure places Last Rites ahead of Jordan Peele’s Nope ($6.7 million in previews) and close to the performance of John Wick: Chapter 4 ($8.9 million). It now stands as the second largest preview for a horror release in the post-COVID era, only trailing the recent Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, and ranks fourth all-time for the genre behind It (2017), Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, and It Chapter Two. Industry analysts suggest the film is on track for a three-day opening in the $65 to $70 million range, although they note that horror franchises sometimes experience heavy frontloading. Even so, the film is expected to deliver both the largest debut for a Conjuring title and the strongest opening of the year for a horror release, surpassing Final Destination: Bloodlines.
Internationally, the film has also launched to strong numbers. In Brazil, Last Rites secured R$7.8 million on its first day, setting a new horror opening record. Italy saw a debut of €589,922, a strong improvement compared to earlier entries in the series, while in Germany, projections suggest it could become the biggest horror opening since It: Chapter Two in 2019. Indonesia reported that the film dominated its box office, commanding roughly 80 percent of admissions on opening day. South Korea noted an encouraging audience reception, with the film tying for the highest-rated Conjuring entry on CGV’s rating scale.
Directed by Michael Chaves and written by Ian Goldberg, Richard Naing, and David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, The Conjuring: Last Rites is based on the Warrens’ case files and focuses on the Smurl haunting. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga return as Ed and Lorraine Warren, with newcomers Mia Tomlinson and Ben Hardy joining the cast. The film, co-produced by James Wan and Peter Safran, marks the ninth installment of the Conjuring Universe and is intended as the concluding chapter of its first era.
Though reviews from critics have been mixed, the early audience response appears favorable, with a 78 percent approval score on Rotten Tomatoes and strong word-of-mouth across multiple regions. If projections hold, the film will secure a place among the top R-rated openings of the decade, sitting alongside blockbusters like Oppenheimer and Deadpool & Wolverine. For Warner Bros., this performance cements The Conjuring franchise as one of its most reliable horror properties, closing out its first phase on a financially triumphant note.
