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The increasing coronavirus infection rates have been a thorn in the side of theatrical box offices and studios for the past two years, generating hesitancy within audiences when larger crowds factor into the equation. While prevalent, concerns around the virus are not stopping some highly anticipated films from performing well at the domestic box office. Scream is a prime example, earning roughly $31.5 million at the end of its opening weekend, becoming the first new film to sit atop domestic box offices at #1 since the release of Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Scream is the second film to release this year, behind The 355, which ended its opening weekend with a mediocre $4.8 million domestically. Concerns around the pandemic have generated some pessimism around box office performances, which has caused some studios to delay their projects or substitute their theatrical releases for streaming debuts. However, early speculation hinted that Scream would perform pretty well because of the generational crossover the film was creating. The franchise first stepped onto the scene in 1996, amassing fans that would continue to stick with the fluctuating thriller for decades. The newest addition has not only motivated the older crowd to show up to theaters, but it has opened the door for a new generation of fans to enjoy the horrific experience as well.
The film officially hit theaters Friday and had a vigorous debut, earning $13.3 million. At the end of Saturday, the film had accumulated $23.4 million domestically, heading towards $31.5 million by the end of the weekend. Monday will be a day off for most in celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which means theaters should see an increase in attendance for the thrilling horror narrative. Projections have the film ending the 4-day holiday weekend with $36 million, an excellent sign for Paramount Pictures heading into 2022. The studio resisted the temptation to delay the film or regulate it to its streaming service because it believed the narrative would play best in front of a live audience, and it seems the gamble is paying off.
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According to Deadline, Paramount's Domestic Theatrical Distribution Boss, Chris Aronson, stated the following about the film's early success: "This opening has reinvigorated the franchise for fans, while simultaneously introducing it to a whole new generation of new Scream fans." While introducing some new elements into the fold, the narrative pays homage to the film's source material, not only with the pieces that unfold in the plot but also with the return of some familiar faces. Neve Campbell, David Arquette, and Courteney Cox reprised their traditional roles alongside a young up-and-coming cast to help bridge the gap between Woodsboro's past and present. The film's 3-day performance mirrors some of the franchise's other box office successes. Scream 2, which arrived in 1997, generated $32.9 million, while 2000's Scream 3 brought in $34.7 million domestically.
While the numbers are the topic of conversation for Scream, the reviews have been crucial to its box office performance. The film earned a 75% score on Rotten Tomatoes, alongside an 85% audience score. In addition, CinemaScore graded the film a B+, matching Scream 2 as the franchise's highest-graded film. While 2022 has only seen two films enter the box office so far, the differing results highlight some potential patterns. While the pandemic is still ongoing, it's clear that audiences will show for films buzzing with anticipation. Scream came in second within a recent Fandango survey, behind Halloween Ends, followed by Jordan Peele's Nope, as the Most Anticipated Horror Movie heading into 2022. Scream's weekend performance should ignite optimism, but pandemic uncertainty still makes it difficult to predict how things will play out.
Scream has officially unseated Spider-Man: No Way Home atop the box office, which is a position the Marvel film has firmly held for four weeks since its release. After some pandemic riddled mediocre to unsatisfactory box office performances, it's encouraging to see that big films are living up to early expectations.
Scream is currently playing within the theaters.
Source: Deadline
