Original Horror Sparks Surprise Box-Office Lift Overseas

Original Horror Sparks Surprise Box-Office Lift Overseas

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Zach Cregger’s horror thriller Weapons continued to deliver solid box-office returns overseas, helping push its worldwide total to $70 million. Released by Warner Bros. and New Line, the film—about a community shaken by the mysterious disappearance of 17 children—added $27.5 million from 73 international markets over the weekend, after topping domestic charts in its opening weekend.

Weapons, which cost about $38 million to produce, features Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, Alden Ehrenreich, Austin Abrams, Benedict Wong and Amy Madigan. Its strongest foreign markets included the U.K. ($3.6 million), Mexico ($2.7 million), France ($2.0 million) and Australia ($1.8 million). The film’s modest budget and sturdy global intake position it for a healthy theatrical profit, underscoring the continued commercial viability of well-made original horror for multiplex audiences—especially in the U.S., where the genre traditionally overperforms.

Disney’s Freakier Friday, a sequel that reunites Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan, earned $15.5 million across 46 international territories, bringing its worldwide haul to $44.5 million against a $42 million production budget. Meanwhile, Marvel and Disney’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps added $17.5 million overseas over the weekend, lifting its global total to $434.2 million after three weeks.

By comparison, DC rival Superman stands at $578.8 million globally after adding $5.8 million internationally. The gap highlights a broader trend: superhero films that once routinely topped $1 billion in the pre-pandemic era are now facing more modest totals, reflecting shifting audience tastes and a more crowded release slate.

Universal’s Jurassic World Rebirth collected $16 million overseas this weekend and is on track to pass $800 million worldwide imminently—an impressive run though likely shy of Jurassic World Dominion’s more than $1 billion lifetime gross. The franchise’s most recent installment had a production cost around $180 million, while Universal’s family animated sequel The Bad Guys 2 added $9.3 million internationally to bring its global total to $83.9 million.

Commentary and context
– Budget-to-gross dynamics: Weapons’ $38 million budget and $70 million global take point to likely profitability once ancillary markets (streaming, VOD, TV) are factored in. Lower-budget horror has long offered studios a favorable risk-reward profile.
– Genre performance: Horror tends to travel less well internationally than comedies or family fare, so Weapons’ overseas showing—led by English-speaking territories and strong hold in Mexico and France—is a solid result.
– Franchise vs. originals: The continued strength of Jurassic and the steady returns for Fantastic Four show franchise power endures, but the relatively restrained totals for recent superhero and tentpole films suggest audiences are becoming more selective. This environment can benefit original films with strong buzz and cast recognition.

Short summary
– Weapons: $27.5M international; $70M worldwide; $38M budget. Top overseas markets: U.K. $3.6M, Mexico $2.7M, France $2.0M, Australia $1.8M.
– Freakier Friday: $15.5M international; $44.5M worldwide; $42M budget.
– Fantastic Four: $17.5M international; $434.2M global.
– Superman: $578.8M global after $5.8M international.
– Jurassic World Rebirth: $16M overseas; nearing $800M global.
– The Bad Guys 2: $9.3M international; $83.9M worldwide.

Hopeful angle
Weapons’ performance is encouraging for filmmakers and studios investing in original, lower-cost genre projects: with thoughtful storytelling and strong casting, such films can break out and be profitable without blockbuster budgets. The current market, where franchise fatigue and shifting audience habits have tempered some tentpole returns, may offer more room for distinctive original titles to find audiences and long-term revenue across multiple platforms.

Suggestions for publication (to add value on your WordPress post)
– Suggested headline: “Weapons Tops Weekend Box Office Overseas as Modest-Budget Horror Hits $70M Global”
– Slug: weapons-box-office-70m-global
– Meta description: “Zach Cregger’s Weapons earned $27.5M internationally, bringing its global total to $70M on a $38M budget. Other weekend box-office highlights include Freakier Friday, Fantastic Four and Jurassic World Rebirth.”
– Suggested tags: box office, Weapons, Zach Cregger, horror, weekend box office, movie grosses
– Featured image suggestion/caption: Poster or still from Weapons with caption “Weapons earned $27.5M from 73 international markets over the weekend.”

If you’d like, I can draft a shorter version for social posts or produce an infographic-ready data snapshot of the weekend’s top international performers.

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