The new Halloween movie that kicks off this week from David Gordon Green is tracking pretty huge at the box office, and its Rotten Tomatoes score is promising as well.
Regarding its potential box office, it’s reported Universal Studios is keeping a pretty modest estimate of around $50 million, but some industry insiders are estimating the horror flick’s box office could open to $70 million or more.
Update: A $75.5 million opening weekend is now possible, as it brought in $7.7 million for Thursday previews.
The good news if you are fan of slasher films is that this Halloween movie only cost around $10 million to make, so we could see a resurgence of the genre coming to theaters in the future.
If the $50-70 million number holds, the 2018 Halloween film would be a a franchise record, as Rob Zombie’s 2007 reboot brought in only $26 million.
Bonuses for this movie include that original director John Carpenter is involved as a producer (It’s also learned a sequel for They Live and Prince of Darkness is in the works) and Jamie Lee Curtis returns as Laurie Strode.
The film is also not an exact rehash of the original, but sort of a sequel as it ignores any of the movies following the first 1978 Halloween, and at the same time offers a spin in that Laurie Strode and Michael Myers are not brother and sister, which could come off as a fresh approach.
Regarding the Halloween Rotten Tomatoes score, it’s at a healthy 87% with 83 Fresh reviews to only 13 Rotten reviews; the audience score will be updated as the movie gets released this weekend.
Update: The score has dropped a bit to 79% with 153 positive reviews to 40 negative reviews.
A quick check of the other Halloween movie Rotten Tomatoes scores reveals only the original film tops it with 93% (Rob Zombie’s only scored 25%).
Check out two new clips in the video below where Michael Myers arrives!
Halloween
Universal Pictures will release Trancas International Films, Blumhouse Productions and Miramax’s Halloween on Friday, October 19, 2018.
Jamie Lee Curtis returns to her iconic role as Laurie Strode, who comes to her final confrontation with Michael Myers, the masked figure who has haunted her since she narrowly escaped his killing spree on Halloween night four decades ago.
Master of horror John Carpenter executive produces and serves as creative consultant on this film, joining forces with cinema’s current leading producer of horror, Jason Blum (Get Out, Split, The Purge, Paranormal Activity). Inspired by Carpenter’s classic, filmmakers David Gordon Green and Danny McBride crafted a story that carves a new path from the events in the landmark 1978 film, and Green also directs.
Halloween is also produced by Malek Akkad, whose Trancas International Films has produced the Halloween series since its inception, and Bill Block (Elysium, District 9). In addition to Carpenter and Curtis, Green and McBride will executive produce under their Rough House Pictures banner. Ryan Freimann also serves in that role.
Halloween will be distributed worldwide by Universal Pictures.