While there was much debate over the past few months about how day-and-date releasing has hurt the pandemic box office, Universal’s “Halloween Kills” defied the odds with its strong opening weekend.
While the film was also available at no extra charge on NBCUniversal’s fledgling streamer Peacock, the second installment in David Gordon Green and Jamie Lee Curtis’ trilogy of sequels to the 1978 classic “Halloween” earned $50 million this weekend, topping the $31.6 million debut of Legendary/Warner Bros.’ “Godzilla vs. Kong” to become the highest opening of any film released simultaneously on streaming. Blumhouse and Miramax co-produced the sequel.
“Halloween Kills” has also set post-shutdown records for the highest openings for R-rated and horror titles, the latter record being held by Paramount’s “A Quiet Place — Part II” since May.