Black Phone 2 Tops North America Box Office With $26.5M Opening

The horror sequel "Black Phone 2" dominated the North American box office with a $26.5 million opening weekend, surpassing the original film's debut and providing a significant boost for Blumhouse after a challenging year. Directed by Scott Derrickson and starring Ethan Hawke, the film received praise for its balance of suspense and character-driven storytelling and attracted a primarily young adult audience, with a notable demographic of Hispanic viewers. Despite October's overall sluggish box office attendance, down about 11% from last year, "Black Phone 2" managed a $42 million global launch against a $30 million budget, highlighting the enduring appeal of well-executed horror franchises. Other new releases struggled, with "Good Fortune" opening modestly and films like "Tron: Ares" and "Roofman" experiencing significant declines. Industry experts note that the dominance of streaming and selective moviegoing habits continue to impact theatrical turnout, especially for non-franchise films. Analysts predict that the horror genre will continue to perform well as studios capitalize on seasonal demand, with "Black Phone 2" poised to maintain strong momentum in the coming weeks.