"Кара телефон" Коркунуч боюнча акыркы утушта 100 миллион долларды алды

As Paramount justifiably celebrates Top Gun Maverick crossing $601 million domestic, passing the $600 million-grossing initial theatrical run of Титаник to become Paramount’s biggest “first theatrical run” unadjusted grosser ever, Universal has reason to pop up an admittedly smaller bottle of champagne. As we speak, Minions: Gru Rise is the biggest animated grosser with around $225 million domestic and $430 million global, while Юралык Дүйнөлүк Доминион has earned around $353 million domestic (past the unadjusted $353 million cume of Ачуусу келген 7) and $881 million worldwide. Oh, and Blumhouse’s Кара телефон has passed $100 million worldwide in just three weeks of theatrical release. The film arrives on PVOD this Friday (along with Юра World 3), and it is the biggest non-sequel horror flick since pre-Covid times.

Directed by Scott Derrickson and penned by C. Robert Cargill, the film isn’t entirely original as it’s based upon a Joe Hill-penned short story. However, I’d argue it qualifies as a “new to you” adaptation because, for most general moviegoers, it qualifies as “original.” See also: next month’s Bullet Train, which for most will be “that Brad Pitt actioner directed by the Deadpool 2 guy” instead of “an adaptation of Kōtarō Isaka’s novel.” Most audiences showed up last year to карыган not because it was a loose adaptation of Pierre Oscar Levy and Frederik Peeters’ graphic novel Sandcastle but because it was the latest M. Night Shyamalan chiller. Кара телефон is an R-rated non-sequel with little star power based on comparatively little-known source material.

Of the twelve major horror movies since February 2020 (all due respect to solid but smaller chillers like Бош Адам жана The Holy), The Black Phone’s $100 million cume is sixth. It is the biggest non-sequel horror film since Leigh Whannell’s Көрүнбөгөн Man earned rave reviews and $145 million worldwide (on a $9 million budget) in the last weeks before Covid shut theaters down. In a skewed irony, the top two biggest horror films since then were big franchise titles (Тынч жай II бөлүм менен $ 297 миллион жана Ийгилик: Шайтан мени ушундай кылды with $206 million), while the lowest-grossing high-profile chiller was Спираль: Көрүлгөн китептен ($40 million). We’ll see if Кара телефон кармайт Хэллоуин өлтүрөт ($ 131 млн) жана Scream (140 миллион доллар).

It has outgrossed Old, Candyman (77 млн доллар), Түбөлүк тазалоо (77 млн доллар), Escape Room: Чемпиондор турнири (67 млн доллар), Дем алба 2 (47 млн доллар), спираль жана The Holy ($30 million). Most of the 2021 horror releases were arguably sacrificial lambs keeping theaters alive (low budget equals low risk) while the bigger tentpoles waited out Covid over the summer. Universal moved Blumhouse’s Кара телефон into this summer precisely because they knew they had a winner. The film has earned around $65 million domestic from a $23.6 million debut. Credit strong reviews, the Blumhouse brand, added marquee value (for horror) associated with Ethan Hawke and Scott Derrickson, pulpy characters and an emotionally satisfying story that, no spoilers, ends at least 27% happier than Түбөлүк тазалоо or тукум куучулук.

Beyond the “horror still thrives in theaters” narrative, which should continue next week with Jordan Peele’s Nope, there’s something else to consider. Scott Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill were supposed to write and direct Акылсыздык көптүк доктору Strange before parting with Marvel over “creative differences.” Кара телефон was their “one for me” flick. Meanwhile, Sam Raimi was plucked from directorial hibernation for the Benedict Cumberbatch/Elizabeth Olsen sequel. Жиндинин көп түрдүүлүгү was a gruesome and ghoulish hybrid of MCU formula and Raimi’s patented horror tropes, and it earned a whopping $950 million worldwide. Кара телефон is the best film Derrickson and Cargill have yet made, and its success sans franchise may help their careers at least as much as directing the MCU sequel.

It’s hard not to argue that this wasn’t a win/win situation. It’s not unlike when F. Gary Gray was not chosen to direct Капитан Америка: Кышкы жоокер. He was allegedly among the final contenders and ended up helming the blockbuster (and well-reviewed) N.W.A. biopic Түз Outta Комптон to the tune of $200 million global on a $25 million budget. That led him to get big bucks for helming Ачуусу келген тагдыры 2017 жана Кара кийимчен адамдар: Эл аралык in 2019. This isn’t to say one is better or worse than the other, but it’s another reminder that there’s more to life in terms of performers and filmmakers than participating in Marvel or DC superhero movies. Audiences getting Doctor Strange 2 *жана* Кара телефон is the best-case-scenario.