The Conjuring 4: Last Rites breaks records with an $83 million opening

The most influential horror franchise of the last decade has just reached a new milestone. The Conjuring 4: Last Rites, presented as the final film starring paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, achieved a domestic opening of $83 million in the United States and $187 million globally, figures that far exceeded the industry's expectations.

A historic box office start

The Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema film surprised by grossing $34.6 million on its first day, including preview screenings, and remained strong throughout the weekend despite the usual volatility of the genre. With these numbers, it surpassed the previous record of the saga by 83%, set by The Nun in 2018 with $53.8 million.

In the horror ranking, The Conjuring 4 stands as the third-best domestic opening of all time, only behind It (2017) and It: Chapter Two (2019). Internationally, it achieved the best debut for a horror film, with $104 million outside the United States, surpassing the record previously held by It: Chapter Two with $92 million.

A saga making history in horror cinema

With this release, The Conjuring franchise has already accumulated $2.3 billion at the global box office, consolidating itself as the most successful in the history of the genre. For Warner Bros., it marks the eighth number one opening of the year and the seventh production to surpass $40 million in its first weekend in 2025, an unprecedented record for a studio in a single year.

Director Michael Chaves highlighted that the film's appeal lay in refocusing the story on the Warrens and maintaining familiar elements for followers, strengthening the connection with the fan base that has supported the saga since its beginnings.

Between commercial success and creative fatigue

Although the figures are compelling, some critics warn of a certain creative fatigue compared to the first installments, with less innovation in narrative development. Even so, the result shows that audiences continue to bet on collective experiences in movie theaters, in a context where many productions designed for streaming during the pandemic had less impact at the box office.

The dependence on established franchises also becomes evident: the success of The Conjuring 4 reaffirms the industry's trend of betting on recognized brands to guarantee major results.

Projections and comparison with the rest of the box office

Meanwhile, The Conjuring 4: Last Rites was comfortably leading, while the rest of the U.S. market experienced a 20% year-over-year drop in revenue, in contrast to the leadership previously held by Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice on the same date in 2024.

The immediate outlook appears favorable for new releases within the genre, as studios seek to capitalize on the public's preference for horror films and the anticipation for the "last appearances" of iconic characters.