EXCLUSIVE: Universal/Miramax/Blumhouse’s David Gordon Green-directed reboot-sequel Halloween is scaring up an estimated $14.7M bow at the international box office this weekend. This is in line with Uni estimates heading into the launch where Jamie Lee Curtis’ badass strode into 23 markets. Mexico, the UK and Russia are the only majors this frame (next weekend is a bigger push in key hubs). Coupled with domestic, the worldwide bow is expected to hit $95M — these figures may of course shift when we get the full rundown tomorrow and the actuals on Monday.

The movie will be the No. 1 title domestically and worldwide for the frame. Overseas, it should come in at No. 3 behind Venom and A Star Is Born. Starts in Mexico, the UK, Indonesia, Finland, Slovakia, Ecuador, Panama, Honduras and Nicaragua are all No. 1s. The like-for-like opening of $14.7M shoots higher than Split (+11%), The Conjuring (+50%), Lights Out (+77%), Jigsaw (+133%), Don’t Breathe (+153%) and Happy Death Day (+158%).

Looking at reboots of classic horror pics, Halloween is a treat, topping the offshore openings of a host of titles. In like-for-likes and at adjusted rates it’s 88% above Rings, 172% over The Omen, +234% on Nightmare On Elm Street, +227% over Carrie, +277% above Evil Dead, 717% sharper than The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, 819% luckier than Friday The 13th and 1031% more woke than Amityville: The Awakening.

Halloween is not running bigger than recent horror hit The Nun, and some of our industry sources may have been over-bullish on this opening. But as we’ve noted, while horror overindexes in Latin America, slasher films have a harder time there. The Nun also had religious overtones to peak the curiosity of the non-core horror habitués. Many of the Lat Am markets are still on deck for Halloween, and in countries that observe the November 1st All Saints Day holiday, healthy play is expected.

Regardless, the $5.1M Mexico bow at 830 locations is the best opening for a Blumhouse film ever and 5th all-time highest for a horror film. The weekend is tracking over The Conjuring (+73%), Lights Out (+181%) and Happy Death Day (+527%).

In the UK, at 530 sites, $3.94M buys Blumhouse its 4th highest Friday opening day and the biggest of the last five years. The weekend (excluding previews) is tracking above all comps including The Conjuring 2 (+7%), Split (+20%), The Conjuring (+40%), Annabelle: Creation (+54%), Annabelle (+56%) and Jigsaw (+101%).

Russia is landing at No. 2 behind Venom with $1.67M at 1145 locations. This scores Blumhouse’s 3rd biggest opening day ever. The weekend is tracking in line with Lights Out and The Conjuring, and above Happy Death Day (+19%) and Annabelle (+48%).

At 220 sites in Indonesia, Halloween is on track to gross $1.1M to come in above Venom’s 3rd frame and A Star Is Born’s first. It’s topping comps there too: Lights Out (+29%), The Conjuring (+49%) and Happy Death Day (+61%).

Taiwan’s 84 playdates are worth $546K, in line with Lights Out and above Jigsaw (+14%) and Happy Death Day (+76%), but below The Conjuring (-27%).

Central America’s 152 Locations are treating Halloween to $417K; Sweden’s 109 have put $340K in the pumpkin, above The Conjuring (+135%), Happy Death Day (+122%), Jigsaw (+65%) and in line with Annabelle; Finland’s 79 slashed away at $268K, above Annabelle: Creation (+67%), Happy Death Day (+143%), Jigsaw (+275%), Annabelle (+277%) and The Conjuring (+277%); Chile at 70 locations made $266K for No. 2 behind Venom and tracking above Happy Death Day (+20%), but below Lights Out (-16%) and The Conjuring (-22%).

Other markets online this weekend include Denmark ($203K/59 sites), Czech Republic ($184K/90), New Zealand ($147K/70), Slovakia ($129K/40), Ecuador ($115K/43) and Romania ($77K/76).

We will have an updated rundown tomorrow. The next Halloween frames include France, Australia, Brazil, Italy, Germany and Spain. Korea bows on the holiday itself.