Thursday saw the triumphant return of Ghostface as Scream VI slashed into 3,125 theaters across the States, heading toward what could be a franchise-high opening at the box office this weekend.
According to Variety, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett’s sequel to 2022’s Scream scored a massive $5.7 million at the domestic box office in Thursday previews, and is estimated to see between $35 million to $40 million this weekend. For comparison, the aforementioned ’22 Scream saw $3.5 million in Thursday previews in January 2022, before an impressive $30 million opening weekend.
This exciting news means Scream VI could be on track to dethrone 2000’s Scream 3, which currently holds the record for the franchise’s highest opening weekend with $34 million.
Scream VI‘s competition at the box office this weekend is Michael B. Jordan’s Creed III, Adam Driver’s sci-fi dino epic 65 and Woody Harrelson’s basketball comedy Champions, with the latter two both expected to bring in opening weekends in the single digits.
(Just in case you’re emerging from under a very heavy rock) Scream VI stars Jenna Ortega, Melissa Barrera, Mason Gooding and Jasmin Savoy Brown as survivors of Ghostface’s most recent reign of terror, who have relocated to New York City. Courteney Cox and Hayden Panettiere return as fan-favorites Gale Weathers and Kirby Reed, with Ready or Not‘s Samara Weaving joining the cast. The latest instalment of the iconic slasher franchise is currently sitting pretty with a 94% audience score and certified fresh rating on RT.
If Scream VI does bring in the predicted goods (and we have absolutely no doubt that it will, and possibly even exceed predictions), it would join M3GAN, Knock at the Cabin and Cocaine Bear as three horrors currently sitting pretty in the top ten highest grossing of 2023 so far. And can you believe there are still people out there who say horror isn’t profitable?!
