SATURDAY AM UPDATE: Warner Bros/New Line’s The Nun continues to conjure strong numbers in offshore waters, adding $20.2M on Friday for an international box office cume of $32.1M through yesterday. The movie is now on roughly 15,226 screens in 60 overseas markets and has been blessed with the No. 1 spot in each (for a U.S. title) as well as setting horror opening records in several. The weekend is blowing past pre-opening projections and will land the scarer in a $65M-$70M range through Sunday to become the best debut of all Conjuring titles in like-for-likes.

Friday’s openings included Mexico, which was already tracking hot as a strong horror hub, and bowed to $3.6M (Ps 68.5M) on 3,595 screens. The Nun commanded 87% of the Top 5 movies in the market and scored the biggest opening day ever for a horror film. Among this year’s overall releases, only Avengers: Infinity War had a higher launch day.



The UK nabbed the biggest opening day in the Conjuring universe with $1.4M (£1.1M) on 750 screens. Including Thursday sneaks, the running cume is now $2.3M.

India also debuted to $1.4M (INR 101.7M) on 1,603 screens. That’s the top opening day for a Hollywood horror film and WB’s second best ever behind Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice.



Spain dominated 70% the Top 5 on Friday with $1.2M (€1M) on 343 for the all-time best horror bow; Poland likewise is the top start ever for a horror pic with $718K (PLN 2.7M) on 240 screens; and Vietnam’s $526K launch on 453 was good for an 86% share. This is the best horror opening day and WB’s 2nd biggest ever behind Kong: Skull Island which had shot locally.

In holdover cumes from earlier in the week we have Indonesia ($3.7M), Brazil ($3.3M), Australia ($1.2M), the UAE ($1.2M) and Germany ($1.2M). The Demian Bichir/Taissa Farmiga-starrer heads to the altar in France, Italy, Russia, Korea and Japan next weekend.

The best final overseas and global scores for a Conjuring pic belong to Conjuring 2 with $217.9M abroad and $320M global.

We’ll have more on Sunday.

PREVIOUS, FRIDAY: Warner Bros/New Line’s The Nun has started taking its vows at the international box office. Launching in 41 overseas markets, the cume through Thursday is $12.1M which includes sneaks in select hubs. The Corin Hardy-directed entry into the Conjuring universe had record-breaking starts and is No. 1 in 40 of the debuts. Overseas opening projections before any ticket sales were counted were coming in between $35M-$45M+. The high end of the range is looking likely, particularly with some key markets coming online today.

Playing on approximately 7,945 screens, the Thursday was $9.7M. This is the biggest opening day for a horror film in 18 markets including the UAE, Colombia and Peru; and is the top first-day bow in the Conjuring series in 30, including Germany, Holland, the UAE, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, Argentina, Brazil and Colombia.

The Demian Bichir/Taissa Farmiga-starrer also gave Warner Bros the biggest opening day of 2018 in 18 markets. Among them, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Portugal and Philippines.

Latin America leans into horror — and coupled with the religious overtones — The Nun is making a killing there. The region put $3.1M in the collection basket to land WB’s overall best opening day of 2018 and the 2nd biggest horror opening day of all time.

In highlights from Thursday, Indonesia generated $1.2M on its 2nd day, dominating with an 87% share of the Top 5 films. The running cume is now $2.3M (IDR 33.2B).

Brazil debuted to an estimated $986K (R$ 4M) on 1,235 screens for 79% of the Top 5. This marks the 2nd biggest opening day for a horror film ever, behind IT.

The UAE took in an estimated $563K (AED 2.1M) on 100 screens, capturing 57% of the Top 5. Australia grossed $460K (A$ 639K) on 325 with 45% of the Top 5. In Europe, Germany opened to an estimated $458K (€394K) on 360 screens, with 51%. The Nun came in ahead of all comps, save IT.

In UK previews, the novitiate had prayers answered with $855K (£665K) on 516 screens and ranking No. 1. That’s double the first day of previews of Conjuring 2.

The UK opens in earnest today and we have been hearing that tracking there is strong, along with Mexico which also takes vows today. The film held a junket in the latter recently with a screening inside an old convent. Similarly, a UK screening was done in an old abbey.

The last series pic, Annabelle Creation, did best in Mexico, Korea and Brazil. Mexico and Brazil led the original. The Conjuring 2 had a mix of Mexico, the UK, Korea, Brazil and Indonesia in the Top 5.

The release patterns on the franchise’s previous titles have been different internationally, but using the comp to Annabelle which is likewise a derivative of the Conjuring series, that movie bowed to about $40M in like-for-like markets, though not adjusted for exchange rate fluctuations. This one is going higher.

There’s word of mouth and a clear corridor here that has no major openers while overseas holdovers will continue. The markets where The Nun will not be giving a blessing this session include France, Italy, Russia, Korea and Japan which all go next weekend. Spain is another one that opens today.

The best final overseas and global haul for a Conjuring pic belongs to Conjuring 2 with $217.9M abroad and $320M global.