Horror movies dominate North American theaters

In the rising wave of horror films, "Smile 2" released by Paramount Pictures stands out with an explosive debut. Director Parker Finn continues to "steer" the sequel to the work that created a storm in 2022. With a revenue of 23 million USD in the first week of release, the film not only continues the success of the first part but also consolidates the horror genre's solid position at the North American box office.

In "Smile 2", Naomi Scott plays a pop star who faces ghosts from her dark past, creating a story that is both mysterious and creepy. Building on the success of the first part, which grossed $217 million against a budget of only $17 million, "Smile 2" is clear evidence that audiences are still eager to wait for high-quality horror works. According to analysts, the film not only exploits fear but also expands the psychological depth of the characters, making it difficult for viewers to look away.

If "Smile 2" brings moments of psychological tension, "Terrifier 3" is the perfect representative of the horror film genre with bloody violence. The film earned 9.3 million USD in its second week of release, bringing its total revenue to 36.2 million USD - an impressive number for a work produced by an independent film studio with a modest production budget of only 2 million USD.

"Terrifier 3" continues to exploit the character of the killer clown Art the Clown, a new symbol of modern horror films. The film not only satisfied fans of the horror genre but also attracted the attention of experts. The success of "Terrifier 3" proves that low-budget works, if the story is strong enough, can absolutely achieve incredible success at the box office.

But the brightest light of the weekend came from Sean Baker's arthouse film "Anora." Opening in just six theaters in New York and Los Angeles, "Anora" grossed $630,000, for a per-theater average of $105,000 — a staggering number since "Asteroid City" set the record last summer.

"Anora" tells the love story between a prostitute in New York and the son of a Russian tycoon, bringing to the audience a work of art, deeply exploiting human emotions. The film not only conquered the audience but also received praise from critics. With a resounding success at the Cannes Film Festival and a bright prospect at the 2025 Oscars, "Anora" affirms that sophisticated, profound cinematic works still have a firm place in the hearts of the public.

List of the top-grossing movies in North America last weekend:

1. Smile 2 - 23 million USD
2. The Wild Robot - $10.1 million
3. Terrifier 3 - $9.3 million
4. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice - 5 million USD
5. We Live In Time - $4.2 million
6. Joker: Folie à Deux - 2.2 million
7. Piece by Piece - $2.1 million
8. Transformers One - $2 million
9. Saturday Night - $1.8 million
10. The Nightmare Before Christmas - 1.1 million USD.