Box Office: Scary Movie Opens to $7.5 Million, Masters of the Universe Earns $4 Million in Previews

Paramount and Miramax’s reboot Scary Movie is off to a strong start at the box office, earning an estimated $7.5 million in previews that began at 2 p.m. today. The comedy, directed by Michael Tiddes and starring Anna Faris, Regina Hall, Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, and other ensemble players, was produced on a reported $30 million budget and had previously been expected to open domestically in the $40 million to $45 million range. Early audience response has been stronger than critical reaction: the film is currently at 29% on Rotten Tomatoes from critics, while audiences are showing more enthusiasm with a 68% score.

The preview number puts Scary Movie in rare company for a comedy, landing near major franchise launches such as Scream 7, which posted $7.8 million in previews and went on to a $63.6 million opening weekend. Its preview haul is also ahead of recent R-rated box office performers including Bad Boys for Life, which had $6.5 million in previews and opened to $62.5 million, as well as Bad Boys: Ride or Die, which logged $5.875 million in previews and debuted at $56.5 million.

Meanwhile, Amazon MGM Studios’ big-budget reboot Masters of the Universe is tracking more modestly, with around $4 million in previews. The Travis Knight-directed film, based on the long-running 1980s toys and animated series, began showtimes at 2 p.m. today as well. The production carries a reported $170 million budget and stars Nicholas Galitzine, Camila Mendes, Idris Elba, Jared Leto, and Alison Brie. Early reception is considerably healthier than some other recent franchise revivals, with the film standing at 71% certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes from critics and 89% with audiences.

Its preview performance is slightly below other family-oriented 1980s franchise updates such as Ghostbusters: Afterlife, which earned $4.5 million in previews before opening to $44 million, and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, which took in $4.7 million in previews and opened to $45 million. Audience reaction will be a key factor for Masters of the Universe as the weekend develops, with Saturday expected to provide a clearer read on turnout.

Also entering the frame is Fathom Entertainment and Glitch Productions’ The Amazing Digital Circus, which is projected to collect about $6.8 million in its first full day. Ahead of the weekend, A24’s Backrooms could challenge Masters of the Universe for the No. 2 position, with industry estimates pointing to a $32 million to $37 million second weekend for the broader box office race.