Every year, the Halloween season brings a wave of chills, thrills, and massive box office numbers as horror fans flock to theaters for their spooky fix. From supernatural slashers to haunted dolls and jump-scare thrillers, October has proven to be a goldmine for studios releasing fright-filled features. As audiences again embrace the season’s eerie spirit, here’s a look back at some of the biggest Halloween-time debuts. From Five Nights at Freddy’s to Scary Movie 3, check out the top 5 biggest opening weekends of films released around Halloween.
5. High School Musical 3: Senior Year (2008)
- Opening Weekend Collection – $42.03 million
High School Musical 3: Senior Year (2008) stars Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, and Corbin Bleu as the East High Wildcats prepare for graduation and their final musical performance. Kenny Ortega’s film was released on October 24, 2008, marking the franchise’s first theatrical release and grossing over $250 million worldwide.
4. Scary Movie 3 (2003)
- Opening Weekend Collection – $49.7 million
Scary Movie 3 (2003) stars Anna Faris, Regina Hall, Charlie Sheen, and Leslie Nielsen in a hilarious parody of films like The Ring, Signs, and The Matrix Reloaded. This David Zucker-helmed film was released on October 24, 2003, and became a box office hit, grossing over $220 million worldwide.
3. Paranormal Activity 3 (2011)
- Opening Weekend Collection – $52.56 million
Paranormal Activity 3 (2011) stars Chloe Csengery, Jessica Tyler Brown, and Lauren Bittner. It is a prequel that explores the childhood origins of sisters Katie and Kristi. Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman directed the film, released on October 21, 2011, and it became the franchise’s biggest hit, grossing over $200 million worldwide.
2. Halloween (2018)
- Opening Weekend Collection – $76.2 million
Halloween (2018) stars Jamie Lee Curtis reprising her iconic role as Laurie Strode, facing Michael Myers 40 years after his original killing spree. This David Gordon Green-directed film was released on October 19, 2018, and slashed its way to success with over $250 million worldwide.
1. Five Nights at Freddy’s (2023)
- Opening Weekend Collection – $80.0 million
Five Nights at Freddy’s (2023) stars Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Lail, and Matthew Lillard in a chilling adaptation of the hit video game about haunted animatronics at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. Directed by Emma Tammi, the film was released on October 27, 2023, and became a massive success, grossing over $290 million worldwide.
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