“Final Destination Bloodlines” is poised to dominate the box office, with expectations to surpass both “Hurry Up Tomorrow,” the new thriller from The Weeknd, and end the two-week reign of Marvel’s “Thunderbolts.” Warner Bros and New Line’s R-rated horror film is projected to debut with earnings between $35 million to $45 million from around 2,800 North American theaters. Furthermore, it is estimated that the film could rake in an additional $35 million from 74 international markets, bringing its global debut total to between $70 million and $80 million. This installment marks the first new entry in the franchise in 14 years, following “Final Destination 5,” which opened to $18 million.
The enduring appeal of the horror genre has kept it popular at the box office, evidenced by the expected strong showing of “Bloodlines,” which focuses on the misfortunes of those who narrowly escape death—only to fall victim to bizarre accidents. In this latest installment, a family begins to face tragic accidents as a result of their matriarch’s survival of a catastrophic event from 50 years prior. The production of the film cost approximately $50 million.
Box office competition reveals that “Final Destination Bloodlines” is likely to overtake Marvel’s “Thunderbolts,” which has led the box office for the last two weeks, projecting to earn between $15 million to $18 million in its third weekend. While “Thunderbolts” has accumulated $127.7 million at the domestic box office and $271 million worldwide, it faces challenges in recouping its substantial production cost of $180 million without significant remaining momentum.
Joining the market this weekend is “Hurry Up Tomorrow,” a film from Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye, which may underperform with projections of $5 million to $7 million in its opening. Lionsgate is distributing the film, which involves Tesfaye portraying a fictional version of himself—a musician battling insomnia and an existential crisis. Directed by Trey Edward Shults and featuring a cast that includes Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan, the project had a budget of $15 million.
Notably, if projections hold true, “Final Destination Bloodlines” will mark the third consecutive successful release for Warner Bros, signaling a potential turnaround for the studio after previous disappointments such as “Mickey 17” and “Joker: Folie à Deux.” Additionally, their films “Sinners” and “A Minecraft Movie” continue to perform well, further solidifying Warner Bros’ strong presence in this weekend’s box office with three titles likely in the top five. “Sinners” has garnered an impressive $125 million domestically while “A Minecraft Movie” has reached a remarkable $408 million in North America and $501 million overseas.
Despite the positive trends for some films, the overall box office revenue is reportedly trailing behind 2019 figures by approximately 33%. However, there is hope that upcoming summer releases like “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning” and “Lilo & Stitch” may help bridge this gap and rejuvenate the theatrical landscape further. The evolving dynamics of the film industry offer optimism for filmmakers and audiences alike as they navigate the changing tastes and preferences in entertainment.