Warner Bros. is celebrating again as The Conjuring: Last Rites opened with massive Thursday night previews, raking in over $7 million. The latest installment in the hit horror franchise, directed by Michael Chaves, is on track for a $40M+ opening weekend.
This marks Warner Bros.’ seventh No. 1 opener of the year and the fourth consecutive horror film to debut at the top. The preview numbers surpass those of other horror titles such as Sinners ($4.7M), Final Destination: Bloodlines ($5.5M), Weapons ($5.7M), and even The Nun ($5.4M). The franchise’s biggest opener to date remains The Nun at $53.8M.
Altogether, the Conjuring Universe — including the Annabelle and Nun spinoffs — has grossed $2.3 billion worldwide, cementing its status as the most successful horror franchise ever.
Critics, however, have been lukewarm, giving Last Rites a 58% Rotten Tomatoes score, similar to The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (56%). That film, released during the pandemic with a hybrid HBO Max launch, earned $65.6M domestically and $206M globally.
Regardless of reviews, the strong preview performance indicates that audiences are still eager for the supernatural saga of Ed and Lorraine Warren.
