’The Conjuring: Last Rites’ Exorcises Box Office Demons in Record Franchise Debut

After a terrible 2024, horror has staged a tremendous comeback in the last few months. The streak is set to continue with this week’s The Conjuring: Last Rites, purportedly the final installment of the shared universe that started with director James Wan’s The Conjuring over a decade ago. The new movie, directed by Michael Chaves, grossed a massive $34 million on opening day, which includes over $8 million from Thursday previews. The movie is eyeing a staggering $75 million haul across its first weekend, which would not only be a record for horror movies this year, but also the biggest opening in the history of the Conjuring Universe.