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Blumhouse

All articles tagged with #blumhouse

Tiny Budget, Big Box Office: How Obsession Became a Horror Hit
entertainment1 day ago

Tiny Budget, Big Box Office: How Obsession Became a Horror Hit

Blumhouse-backed low-budget horror Obsession defied typical genre drop-offs, grossing $22 million in its second weekend (up about 30% from its $17.2 million opening) and an estimated $28.2 million over Memorial Day, for domestic total around $58.5 million and roughly $74 million worldwide. Produced for under $1 million and acquired by Focus Features for $14 million, it opened in 2,000 theaters without a platform release and has benefited from strong word-of-mouth, a CinemaScore of A- and a 94% Rotten Tomatoes rating, helped by a young audience (about 75% aged 18–25). The film, directed by first-time filmmaker Curry Barker and linked to YouTube creator culture, signals a new model where online creators can drive theater attendance, with Barker’s next project Anything But Ghosts already in development. The movie is expected to be one of the year’s most profitable releases.

Underdog Horror Obsession Defies Box-Office Odds With Holiday Surge
entertainment1 day ago

Underdog Horror Obsession Defies Box-Office Odds With Holiday Surge

The low-budget horror film Obsession exploded in its second weekend with $28.2M (up 30% from its opening), bringing North American total to about $58.5M and worldwide to $74M on a budget under $1M. Driven by strong word-of-mouth, an A- CinemaScore and 94% Rotten Tomatoes, and a young 18–25 audience, Focus Features released it in 2,000 theaters without a platform rollout, signaling a profitable run and highlighting a new generation of horror hits that sustain theaters and help Blumhouse’s ongoing projects and Barker’s next film.

Curry Barker’s Obsession Roars Out of TIFF with $17.2M Opening
box-office8 days ago

Curry Barker’s Obsession Roars Out of TIFF with $17.2M Opening

Inde Navarrette stars in Obsession, a TIFF-acquired horror romance from Curry Barker, which opened to $17.2 million and placed third behind Michael and Prada 2. The film earned an A- CinemaScore and strong PostTrak interest, suggesting solid legs, and Barker is already lined up for Anything But Ghosts with Blumhouse/Focus and an A24 reboot of Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

Curry Barker Debuts Obsession, Teases Blumhouse Ties and a Bold Horror Outlook
film9 days ago

Curry Barker Debuts Obsession, Teases Blumhouse Ties and a Bold Horror Outlook

Horror filmmaker Curry Barker discusses his new film Obsession, his breakout Milk & Cereal, and ongoing support from Jason Blum. He explains how his collaboration with Tomlinson evolved from film school to online audiences with “That’s A Bad Idea,” and notes that Blum is championing his work for future projects. Barker also shares casting insights, notes a previously more extreme cut that was toned down, and hints at a busy slate ahead including Blumhouse collaborations and involvement in A24’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre project, all while Obsession is currently in theaters.

Obsession’s $2.6M Previews Signal Strong Start for Romantic Horror
box-office11 days ago

Obsession’s $2.6M Previews Signal Strong Start for Romantic Horror

Focus Features/Blumhouse’s Obsession grossed $2.6M in previews across 2,542 theaters (including 435 PLF screens). The romantic horror has strong early buzz (95% on Rotten Tomatoes) and is tracking for a competitive opening as it challenges Michael and The Devil Wears Prada 2 over the weekend; the previews outpaced several indie horror comps and set expectations for its box-office run.

Blair Witch Reboot Debuts at Cannes Market Under Lionsgate/Blumhouse
film26 days ago

Blair Witch Reboot Debuts at Cannes Market Under Lionsgate/Blumhouse

Lionsgate and Blumhouse are launching sales at the Cannes Market for a Blair Witch Project reboot directed by Dylan Clark, with a budget around $10 million and production aimed for fall; plot details are being kept under wraps, while Chris Devlin’s screenplay is rewritten by Clark. The project brings back involvement from original creatives and stars as executive producers (including Joshua Leonard, Michael C. Williams, Eduardo Sánchez, Daniel Myrick, and Gregg Hale), with James Wan and Roy Lee producing, and Lionsgate set to handle domestic/UK rights.

Original Blair Witch Team Rejoins as Execs for Reimagined Project
entertainment26 days ago

Original Blair Witch Team Rejoins as Execs for Reimagined Project

Lionsgate is rebooting The Blair Witch Project with Dylan Clark directing; original stars Joshua Leonard and Michael C. Williams will be executive producers, joining the film’s veteran creators Eduardo Sánchez, Daniel Myrick and Gregg Hale. The reboot is part of a CinemaCon‑announced multi‑film deal, with James Wan and Jason Blum (alongside Roy Lee) producing for Blumhouse-Atomic Monster, and a broader production team also in place. The move follows 25 years of neglect for the original creatives, highlighted by Leonard’s public frustration, while the original film’s modest $35,000 budget yielded about $248 million at the box office.

The Mummy Gets an Auteur Stamp: Cronin's Name Above the Title
entertainment1 month ago

The Mummy Gets an Auteur Stamp: Cronin's Name Above the Title

The article argues that featuring a director’s name in the film title—exemplified by Lee Cronin’s The Mummy—signals a distinct auteur vision and helps distinguish a public-domain property in a crowded market, tracing a century of vanity credits from Hitchcock to Carpenter to Tarantino. It frames Cronin’s branding as a deliberate marketing tactic to separate the movie from previous Mummy iterations, notes mixed reactions to the film’s tone and effects, and situates the broader conversation about director-led branding within other stories on gender-driven cinema and franchise culture.

Lee Cronin’s The Mummy: A Brutal, Personal Reimagining with the Director’s Name in the Title
film1 month ago

Lee Cronin’s The Mummy: A Brutal, Personal Reimagining with the Director’s Name in the Title

In a Variety interview, Lee Cronin explains his ultra-gory, R-rated spin on The Mummy, including why Jason Blum urged him to put his name in the title. Shot in Ireland and Spain with Jack Reynor, Laia Costa, and May Calamawy, the film centers on an American family whose daughter is found alive in a tomb, delivering a fresh, terrifying twist on the classic monster while nodding to influences like The Exorcist, Seven, and Poltergeist.

Curtis Says She Would’ve Passed on Halloween Sequel If She’d Known It Was a Trilogy
entertainment2 months ago

Curtis Says She Would’ve Passed on Halloween Sequel If She’d Known It Was a Trilogy

Jamie Lee Curtis said at SXSW she wouldn’t have signed David Gordon Green’s 2018 Halloween if she’d known it was meant to start a trilogy, and used the moment to secure a development deal with Blumhouse. Blumhouse’s low-budget model and Curtis’s negotiations ultimately helped launch three more Halloween films, effectively reviving the franchise.

Blumhouse Aims Sub-$1M Horror While Betting on IP Post-Merger
entertainment2 months ago

Blumhouse Aims Sub-$1M Horror While Betting on IP Post-Merger

Jason Blum says Blumhouse will keep horror budgets ultra-low (including sub-$1M projects) even after the Blumhouse–Atomic Monster merger, while expanding into IP-driven titles. The company will balance originals (about 40% of its slate) with IP-heavy releases, aiming to be the 'Disney of Fear' and leveraging post-COVID audience trends. Get Out is highlighted as a turning point, and Blum emphasizes sustaining original storytelling alongside big IP projects across films, TV, and live events.

Ejiofor Signs On for Mike Flanagan’s Exorcist Reimagining
film3 months ago

Ejiofor Signs On for Mike Flanagan’s Exorcist Reimagining

Chiwetel Ejiofor has joined Mike Flanagan’s all-new The Exorcist film, reuniting with the director on a fresh chapter in the franchise (not a Believer sequel). Filming is set for New York City, with a March 12, 2027 theatrical release. Flanagan wrote and will direct for Red Room Pictures, with Blumhouse-Atomic Monster-Morgan Creek and Universal producing; and Johansson, Jacobi Jupe, and Diane Lane are already attached.