Box Office: ‘Halloween Ends’ Targets Big $50 Million-Plus Debut Even With Hybrid Release on Peacock

Laurie Strode is going out with a bang.

“Halloween Ends,” the supposed finale to Universal’s long-running slasher series (are we ever going to be able to quit Michael Myers?) is targeting a healthy $50 million to $55 million in its opening weekend even with its hybrid release on Peacock. If those estimates hold, it’ll be the first movie since “Thor: Love and Thunder” in July to open to at least $50 million.

“Halloween Ends” is the rare day-and-date release with a proper point of comparison since its predecessor also launched on streaming during the pandemic. “Halloween Kills” opened to $49 million last October while landing simultaneously on the NBCUniversal-owned Peacock — a bloody-good result given the COVID-era limitations in 2021. “Halloween Ends,” which is playing in 3,800 North American theaters, has the added benefit of monopolizing the entire Imax and premium large format footprint.

Given the hybrid rollouts for “Halloween Kills” and “Halloween Ends,” it’s unlikely that 2018’s “Halloween” will be dethroned as the highest-grossing opening weekend of the series. The pre-pandemic reboot, which brought back Jamie Lee Curtis as the perpetually targeted final girl, debuted with an unexpectedly huge $77 million and successfully revived the creaking franchise.

If “Halloween Kills” is any indication, ticket sales for the grand finale could be front-loaded; “Halloween Kills” collapsed by 70% in its sophomore outing and tapped out with $92 million in North America and $131 million globally. By comparison, the well-received “Halloween” ended its theatrical run with $159 million in the U.S. and $255 million worldwide. In any case, “Halloween Ends” cost an economical $20 million to produce, so it won’t take a ton of coin to turn a profit. And Peacock has significantly fewer subscribers than its rivals, like Netflix and HBO Max, meaning the streaming aspect may not keep as many ticket buyers at home.

At the box office, “Halloween Ends” looks to continue a solid streak for scary movies on the heels of “Smile” and “Barbarian.” As the only new nationwide offering, “Halloween Ends” will knock down the reigning champion “Smile,” which held the No. 1 spot for two weeks.

David Gordon Green returned to direct “Halloween Ends,” which is intended to conclude the 45-year-old film franchise as the avenging babysitter-turned-grandmother Laurie Strode faces off against the masked psycho Michael Myers for the last time. (Unless, of course, Universal and Blumhouse decide to reboot the series again in a few years.)

In limited release, the Emmett Till biopic “Till” is opening in 16 theaters across 10 North American markets. MGM and United Artists Releasing will expand the film into additional venues on Oct. 28. Chinonye Chukwu directed the well-reviewed look at a tragic chapter in American history, which debuted at the New York Film Festival.

Danielle Deadwyler stars in the 1950s-set movie as the mother of Emmett Till, who was lynched at age 14 while visiting his cousins in Mississippi. In the AP’s review, film critic Jake Coyle singled out Deadwyler, who “gives a career-making performance as Mamie, perfectly poised between grief and strength. The film, which is dedicated to Mamie, ultimately belongs to her.”

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