Horror video-game movie “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” proved jump scares can still rake in the cash with a debut that ruled North American theaters, industry estimates showed Sunday.The second film in Universal’s “Freddy’s” franchise — about animatronic characters at a pizza shop, the tween girl (Piper Rubio) who befriends them, and the murderous if cheesy events that follow — brought in $63 million in the Friday-through-Sunday period, Exhibitor Relations reported.It earned another $46 million internationally.”Critics’ reviews are poor, but the genre is immune to reviews,” said David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research.”The audience score is more important, and it’s very good for a horror picture, although not as good as the first pic.”Sliding to second spot was another sequel, Disney’s feel-good animated film “Zootopia 2.”The buddy cop comedy featuring a menagerie of talking animals battling stereotypes earned $43 million, for a two-week total of $220 million and a worldwide haul nearing the $1 billion mark.Dropping one spot to third place, with $16.8 million in its third weekend, was “Wicked: For Good,” Universal’s second chapter in the musical saga of Oz’s most notable witches — the green-skinned, outcast Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and popular pink-wearing Glinda (Ariana Grande).The “Wizard of Oz” retelling is based on the long-running Broadway musical, itself adapted from Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel.”JUJUTSU KAISEN: Execution” landed in fourth spot in its debut. The anime-based tale of violent sorcery released by GKIDS earned $10.2 million.In fifth with $3.5 million was Lionsgate’s “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t,” the third installment in the crime heist franchise. Rounding out the top 10 were:”Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair” ($3.3 million) “Eternity” ($2.7 million)”Hamnet” ($2.3 million)”Predator: Badlands” ($1.9 million)”Merrily We Roll Along” ($1.2 million)
Horror video-game movie “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” proved jump scares can still rake in the cash with a debut that ruled North American theaters, industry estimates showed Sunday.The second film in Universal’s “Freddy’s” franchise — about animatronic characters at a pizza shop, the tween girl (Piper Rubio) who befriends them, and the murderous if cheesy events that follow — brought in $63 million in the Friday-through-Sunday period, Exhibitor Relations reported.It earned another $46 million internationally.”Critics’ reviews are poor, but the genre is immune to reviews,” said David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research.”The audience score is more important, and it’s very good for a horror picture, although not as good as the first pic.”Sliding to second spot was another sequel, Disney’s feel-good animated film “Zootopia 2.”The buddy cop comedy featuring a menagerie of talking animals battling stereotypes earned $43 million, for a two-week total of $220 million and a worldwide haul nearing the $1 billion mark.Dropping one spot to third place, with $16.8 million in its third weekend, was “Wicked: For Good,” Universal’s second chapter in the musical saga of Oz’s most notable witches — the green-skinned, outcast Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and popular pink-wearing Glinda (Ariana Grande).The “Wizard of Oz” retelling is based on the long-running Broadway musical, itself adapted from Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel.”JUJUTSU KAISEN: Execution” landed in fourth spot in its debut. The anime-based tale of violent sorcery released by GKIDS earned $10.2 million.In fifth with $3.5 million was Lionsgate’s “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t,” the third installment in the crime heist franchise. Rounding out the top 10 were:”Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair” ($3.3 million) “Eternity” ($2.7 million)”Hamnet” ($2.3 million)”Predator: Badlands” ($1.9 million)”Merrily We Roll Along” ($1.2 million)
