By Against all odds, the Five Nights at Freddy’s film managed to debut at number one at the domestic box office this past weekend with a domestic total of $78 million. While we’re well beyond the period of saying video game-based films don’t bring in the big bucks, what makes Freddy’s so surprising is that it had a simultaneous release on Peacock. That and despite some pretty negative reviews from critics, fans came out in droves to help this film break several records.
The first achievement for the film was becoming the third-highest-grossing horror debut of all time. Five Nights at Freddy’s also nabbed the best opening for Halloween weekend ever as well as the biggest horror debut for 2023. For video game films, FNAF is now the second-biggest opening behind The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Talk about making a killing.
Overseas, as well, Five Nights at Freddy’s did great. Across 60 different markets, FNAF accumulated $52.6 million, bringing its debut tally to around $130.6 million. That is exceptional for a film which reportedly cost just $20 million.
Elsewhere in the top 10, it’s basically the same story as last week. Taylor Swift is still kicking it with another $14.7 million in second place. Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon nabbed another $9 million, though that hasn’t quite helped push it toward profitability. Newcomer After Death debuted at $5 million and was followed by The Exorcist: Believer in fifth with $3.1 million. I’m more surprised that The Nightmare Before Christmas charted two weeks in a row in 2023.
Here are the top 10 films for the weekend of October 27-29, 2023. All totals listed are domestic:
- Five Nights at Freddy’s – $78 million
- Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour – $14.7 million
- Killers of the Flower Moon – $9 million
- After Death – $5 million
- The Exorcist: Believer – $3.1 million
- Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie – $2.1 million
- Freelance – $2.06 million
- The Nightmare Before Christmas – $2 million
- Saw X – $1.6 million
- The Creator – $1 million
