This weekend, the horror sequel 0Black Phone 20 topped the North American box office, generating $26.5 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates released on Sunday. The sequel not only surpassed the original's debut of $23.6 million but also represents a significant triumph for Blumhouse, particularly after experiencing a streak of box office disappointments earlier in the year, including 0M3GAN 2.0.0.
Despite opening in line with expectations, October moviegoing has been sluggish, down about 11% compared to the previous year, according to data from Comscore. While the overall box office remains up about 4% from last year, the arrival of a major blockbuster to invigorate ticket sales may not occur until late November or December.
Universal Pictures released <0Black Phone 20> in 3,411 theaters across North America, benefiting from a wave of positive reviews. The sequel, which debuted four years after the original film, is helmed again by director Scott Derrickson and features returning stars Ethan Hawke and Mason Thames. Audience demographics showed that 63% of opening weekend viewers were between the ages of 18 and 34. Interestingly, Hispanics made up 39% of ticket buyers, while Caucasians accounted for 35%.
The film's international performance was also strong, earning an additional $15.5 million from 71 territories worldwide, resulting in a total global launch of $42 million against a reported production budget of $30 million.
The first installment of 0Black Phone0 was considered a sleeper hit in 2021, emerging as cinemas began to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Ultimately, it grossed over $161 million worldwide on an $18 million budget.
Blumhouse has faced challenges in 2025, with several misfires, including <0Wolf Man0> and <0The Woman in the Yard0>. However, the production company may regain its footing with a sequel to <0Five Nights at Freddy0s0 scheduled for release in December, which had grossed nearly $300 million globally.
This weekend, <0Black Phone 20> stood out as the sole film that substantially broke through, even though there were several others released widely. Among those was the R-rated comedy 0Good Fortune,0, featuring Seth Rogen, Aziz Ansari, and Keanu Reeves, which opened in 2,990 theaters and garnered $6.2 million. Additionally, the expansion of the drama 0After the Hunt,0, starring Julia Roberts and Andrew Garfield, brought in $1.6 million from 1,238 locations.
In its second weekend, 0Tron: Ares0 experienced a significant drop of about 67%, earning $11.1 million and securing second place on the box office charts, with a global total now reaching $103 million.
Although <0Good Fortune0> debuted in third place and received mostly positive reviews, Ansari's comedy, which features a blend of humor and social commentary, did not achieve high enthusiasm in its opening weekend. It garnered a B+ CinemaScore, suggesting it might enjoy a better performance in subsequent weeks compared to <0After the Hunt0>, which received a disappointing C- score.
Looking ahead to next weekend, moviegoers can anticipate a new wave of award contenders, including Yorgos Lanthimos' latest collaboration with Emma Stone, 0Bugonia0, and the Bruce Springsteen biopic 0Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere,0, featuring <0The Bear0s0> Jeremy Allen White.
