The Exorcist: Box Office Disappointment Surpasses Expectations, Lags Far Behind Halloween 2018

Summary

The Exorcist: Believer is underperforming at the box office in its opening weekend, falling short of its projected gross of $30 million.

The domestic box office performance of The Exorcist: Believer is falling short of expectations, even with the return of original star Ellen Burstyn. The film's 3-day total of $28 million is significantly lower when compared to Blumhouse's previous trilogy-beginning legacy sequel, Halloween 2018, which earned $76.2 million during its opening weekend.

The Exorcist: Believer is underperforming at the box office during its opening weekend. This film marks the sixth installment in the franchise that originated with the iconic 1973 movie, The Exorcist. It brings back the original star, Ellen Burstyn, who reprises her role as Chris MacNeil, the mother of Regan, a girl previously possessed by a demon (played by Linda Blair). Believer is the first installment of a planned new Exorcist trilogy and centers around MacNeil being approached by a desperate father named Victor Fielding (portrayed by Leslie Odom Jr.), seeking help for his daughter and her friend, both of whom are showing signs of demonic possession.

According to Variety, the box office performance of The Exorcist: Believer has been disappointing in its opening weekend. Despite initial projections of a $30 million gross, the movie is on track to fall short with a 3-day total of $28 million. While this shortfall is not drastically below expectations, it significantly pales in comparison to the previous trilogy opener from director David Gordon Green, Halloween 2018, which earned an impressive $76.2 million in its domestic box office debut, more than doubling Believer's highest forecasts.

Is the New Exorcist Trilogy Safe?

Although The Exorcist: Believer is lagging behind, it has managed to recoup almost its entire $30 million production budget through domestic box office sales. However, in order for it to be profitable, it needs to generate at least double that amount. The movie's international revenue is expected to contribute towards achieving this goal, but it also needs to withstand a significant decline in its second week, as is common for new horror films.

Furthermore, Universal and Peacock spent a staggering $400 million to acquire the distribution rights for The Exorcist, with the hope of generating substantial profits from three new installments. Despite the inclusion of a character who hasn't appeared in the franchise in five decades, The Exorcist: Believer doesn't appear poised to launch a successful trilogy capable of dominating the box office. Nevertheless, Blumhouse has another opportunity with The Exorcist: Deceiver, a sequel scheduled for release on April 18, 2025.

However, if this movie performs poorly following the release of The Exorcist: Believer, the future of the third installment becomes uncertain. To avoid further financial setbacks, the third movie may be scrapped altogether. The lack of official titles and dates for future Exorcist movies, as well as David Gordon Green's non-committal stance regarding his involvement in future projects, has created the possibility of this outcome.

Source: Variety