How The Conjuring: Last Rites became a record-breaking box-office hit

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The movie titled “The Conjuring: Last Rites” may have faced some of the less favorable critiques among primary “Conjuring” films, yet it effectively dispelled all uncertainties by achieving the highest opening of the series so far.

It seems that the latest movie marks the final on-screen appearance of Ed and Lorraine Warren, and this film concluded their cinematic journey with an impressive global box office debut of $194 million, not only setting a record for the series but also making it the highest-grossing opening for any horror movie to date.

How did The Conjuring: Last Rites manage to gather such substantial earnings despite receiving modest reviews from critics? Let’s delve into the reason behind this.

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Kicking off with the financial figures, “The Conjuring: Last Rites” managed to earn a whopping $194 million globally upon its release, breaking the record for the highest-grossing horror movie premiere previously held by “It,” which earned $190 million worldwide. Furthermore, this film also set a new mark as the biggest international opening for any horror movie, raking in $110 million, surpassing “It: Chapter Two’s” $92 million overseas earnings.

In U.S. box office earnings, the horror movie ‘it’ ranks ahead of ‘it’ as the third highest-grossing horror film, having earned approximately $84 million. This is surpassed by ‘It’ ($123.4 million) and ‘It: Chapter Two’ ($91.1 million). Given that initial predictions anticipated an opening of around $50 million, Warner Bros likely won’t express any significant displeasure with the performance.

Last Rites,” they’ve now managed seven straight US box office openings that grossed over $40 million. This year, with a global earning of approximately $3.77 billion as of 2025, Warner Bros is leading the pack in the film industry according to Deadline.

However, precisely what tactics or strategies did Warner Bros employ to generate such an impressive box office debut for the final cinematic adventure of the Warrens?

While the critics have labeled the new movie, “The Conjuring: Last Rites,” as a must-watch, its Rotten Tomatoes rating of 57% aligns more with that of “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It” (56%) than the first two films in the series (86% and 80%, respectively).

In terms of audience response, the series has shown remarkable resilience with the first and third movies earning an impressive 83% rating, and the second one not far behind at 82%. Currently, Last Rites trails slightly with a 79%, but there’s a chance for it to gradually catch up to the same level as its earlier counterparts.

The series has consistently proven to be resistant to negative criticism, with each film earning over $200 million globally, including disliked spin-offs like “The Nun” ($366 million) and “Annabelle” ($257 million). However, “The Curse of La Llorona” ($123 million) is an exception, but its status as a canonical Conjuring movie remains unclear.

As a devoted gamer, I can’t help but feel the thrill of anticipation as I predict that “The Conjuring: Last Rites” will soon be among the elite group of films to surpass the impressive $200 million mark at the box office. With a steady momentum and no major setbacks in sight, it looks like this movie has a solid chance to dethrone “The Nun” as the highest-grossing Conjuring film ever made. It’s an exciting time to be a fan!

Fans of The Conjuring series, particularly those focusing on the Warrens, are well-acquainted with the kind of experience these movies deliver. For critics, this predictability could potentially be a disadvantage, but for viewers, it’s quite the opposite. They appreciate the familiarity, look forward to the consistent quality, and eagerly anticipate more.

Warner Bros strategically emphasized the conclusion aspect in their marketing, using the slogan to pique interest about “uncovering why this investigation concluded.” While this TV series isn’t an exact replica of the real-life Warrens’ final case, it has a history of blending facts with fiction.

Instead of merely being another installment in the Conjuring series, it transformed into a highly anticipated event for fans, given that there hadn’t been a significant release in the main series for quite some time. The movie, titled The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, was available for streaming on HBO Max simultaneously with its cinema release in the US in 2021, which slightly reduced the unique, big-screen experience.

As a die-hard fan, I found myself eagerly anticipating a return to the original timeline of “The Conjuring” universe after years filled with spin-offs and sequels (or prequels) since the 2016 release of “The Conjuring 2”. The unique thrill that “Conjuring” movies offer, their ability to create an unforgettable communal big-screen experience, was what drew me in, and “Last Rites” seemed primed to deliver just that.

It’s still uncertain if this will indeed be the last film in the Conjuring series, especially given its blockbuster debut. However, The Conjuring: Last Rites was effectively marketed towards fans as an essential watch due to its dramatic conclusion.

The movie could have benefited from being released during a particularly successful year for horror films, both in terms of critical acclaim and box office success. While it’s true that the horror genre has been consistently strong, there’s no doubt that 2025 stands out as a year with more notable horror releases compared to recent years.

This year has been impressive for horror enthusiasts, offering original masterpieces such as “Weapons” and “Bring Her Back”, as well as returning successful franchises like “Final Destination: Bloodlines” and “28 Years Later”. The traditionalist in us might argue that “The Conjuring: Last Rites” is the most conventional, but it has certainly provided a fitting finale to the solid summer season of horror films.

It remains to be seen if The Conjuring: Last Rites will match the longevity of a film like Weapons. Its CinemaScore of B, the lowest among all four Conjuring films, indicates that viewers may not have been fully satisfied with their experience, which could potentially affect repeat viewings and its ability to maintain strong box-office performance over time.

Despite having nearly $200 million in earnings already, an significant decrease in its second weekend might not prevent the movie “The Conjuring: Last Rites” from concluding the series with a strong finish.

The Conjuring: Last Rites is out now in cinemas.

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2025-09-09 14:22