The Haunting Beginnings of ‘Abigail’: Is it a Harbinger of Horror at the Box Office?
Having bowed over the April 19 weekend, Universal’s R-rated vampire thriller “Abigail” is the latest horror film to fall prey to a lackluster opening.
Helmed by directing duo Radio Silence, who last worked on the fifth and sixth “Scream” movies, “Abigail” debuted to just $10 million.
But while that has shaken the faith of some industry observers in the horror genre, considering the first quarter has been hard on a bunch of scary movies, it shouldn’t.
First, there’s stiff competition to consider. Despite Radio Silence’s momentum and a strong cast, “Abigail” ran against the second weekend for A24’s No. 1 film “Civil War” and the debut of Guy Ritchie’s new actioner for Lionsgate.
Second, there is good news ahead for horror films in 2024.
The Hollywood strikes last year have wrought havoc on 2024’s calendar, leading to multiple release weekends where new studio horror won’t have much competition among adults.
The first film to benefit from this is Warner Bros.’ “The Watchers,” directed by Ishana Night Shyamalan. It’s out June 14, and its only studio competition is Pixar’s “Inside Out 2.”
Oddly enough, M. Night Shyamalan’s new film “Trap,” also for Warners, might have a tougher time standing out than his daughter’s debut.
“Alien: Romulus” goes the following weekend, competing against the second part of Costner’s “Horizon.”
Better yet is October, where “Smile 2” and “Venom 3” have weekends entirely to themselves. “Madame Web” may not have done much for Sony’s Marvel prospects this year, but “Venom” has yet to lose its box-office appeal.
So, don’t lose faith in the horror genre yet. One bad quarter doesn’t mean all is lost.
