'Five Nights at Freddy's 2' dominates US box office

"Five Nights at Freddy's" has powered up the box office once again.

- 

Piper Rubio, Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Lail in 'Five Nights At Freddys 2' (AP)

(AP)

The sequel opened in 3,412 theaters in the U.S. and Canada this weekend and far surpassed expectations with $63 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday.Seemingly immune to widely negative reviews, “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” notched the biggest opening ever for the weekend after Thanksgiving, which usually is a more muted buffet of leftovers. It’s also the biggest opening of the year for a PG-13 rated movie and the second biggest horror opening.

The first film, also a Blumhouse production, was a surprise hit two years ago. It opened to $80 million in October 2023, despite also being available to stream on Peacock. Universal decided to open the sequel exclusively in theaters. With a reported production price tag of only $36 million, “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” is on its way to being another smash. It’s another reminder of the potential massive upside of theatrical releases as many in the industry and out wonder what Netflix’s acquisition of Warner Bros. will mean for moviegoing.