Cineverse’s unrated slasher film Terrifier 3 earned approximately $2.6 million during Thursday previews, which started at 8 p.m. There are predictions that this low-budget film, which cost Cineverse under $5 million for acquisition and marketing, may surpass Warner Bros’ Joker: Folie à Deux in its second weekend, potentially raking in over $11 million.
The film’s performance hinges on whether Cineverse’s cost-effective marketing reaches a broader audience beyond its dedicated streaming subscribers and followers of Blooding Disgusting. Terrifier 3, directed by Damien Leone, boasts a 94% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, while critics rated it at 78%. Comscore/Screen Engine’s PostTrak did not gather exit data from viewers.
Chris McGurk, Chairman and CEO of Cineverse, expressed his excitement over the film’s strong early box office results, stating, “The early box office numbers putting Terrifier 3 at No. 1 after early previews are far beyond our expectations… This success is proof that a quality indie film can hold its own theatrically despite being unrated and going up against major studio features.”
Terrifier 3’s preview earnings are comparable to the $2.5 million previews for Warner Bros.’ Evil Dead Rise last year, which went on to earn $24.5 million during its opening weekend. Also notable is the $2.6 million, which aligns with the Tuesday previews of Blumhouse’s The First Purge in 2018.
In its first week, Joker: Folie à Deux accumulated $44.55 million following a $1.1 million Thursday gross, a 12% drop from Wednesday. Its first-week earnings lagged 19% behind Marvel Studios’ The Marvels, which earned $54.8 million, but were 15% above Warner Bros’ Furiosa, which grossed $38.9 million in its opening week.
On the same evening, Focus Features premiered the Lego documentary Piece by Piece, directed by Morgan Neville, which earned $450,000 from 1,500 theaters. It is expected to make between $3 million and $9 million this weekend, and holds an 86% rating from critics.
Sony’s film Saturday Night, depicting the origins of SNL, pulled in $370,000 from early previews and is projected to earn $3 million to $5 million this weekend. It currently holds a positive rating on PostTrak and a certified fresh score from Rotten Tomatoes.
Briarcliff Entertainment’s The Apprentice, centering on Donald Trump and his mentor Roy Cohn, struggled during its preview, grossing only $150,000. While it received a 79% rating from critics, audience reception was less favorable, with a rating of 2.5 stars on PostTrak.