Movies
[Box Office] ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ Blasts Projections With $60M Global Opening!
Heading into the weekend, I had a blast reading all the box office reports, especially the ones that declared Ghostbusters: Afterlife (read our review) a failure even before it opened.
Early tracking for the brand new Ghostbusters was targeting $28M-$35M, and because the estimates were less than the 2016 remake directed by Paul Feig (it opened to $46M domestically), several writers lamented Afterlife a massive bomb and the former a huge success. L.O.L. Yeah, that’s why Sony Pictures rushed to make a sequel…
Digressing, Ghostbusters: Afterlife had a massive opening, overperforming with a ridiculous $44M domestic and $16M international for a $60M global estimate.
This is likely powered by the astounding A- CinemaScore that Bloody Disgusting is hearing will be announced in the coming days. While critics were mixed – some even smashed it – fans showed up in droves and most likely resurrected this franchise from the grave. Ghostbusters: New Life is more like it.
As I wrote late last week, if the reports are accurate, Ghostbusters (2016) had an obscene $144M budget. Add in the marketing costs and the film actually lost money in its theatrical run. Ghostbusters: Afterlife has a reportedly more modest $75M budget, which means that it needs drastically less at the box office to break even.
Sony set the new film up for success, which should be important for fans of any franchise. With this opening, expect more ‘Busting.
RELATED: *Spoilers* There’s a Surprising Cameo in Ghostbusters: Afterlife
Hollywood is serious about landing the next Backrooms. Hot on the heels of a Siren Head feature announcement, Deadline reports that a new movie based on viral YouTube series The Mandela Catalogue is in development.
It also has some Hollywood heavy hitters behind it.
Amblin Entertainment’s Steven Spielberg, United Artists’ Scott Stuber (Frankenstein), and Amazon MGM Studios are set to produce, emerging victorious after a highly competitive 11-studio bidding war.
Launched in 2021, the YouTube series is set in the fictional Mandela County, Wisconsin which is “invaded by shape-shifting, nearly immortal creatures called Alternates. The Alternates are led by a false depiction of the Archangel Gabriel and their aim is to wipe out the human race by psychologically torturing them to the point of suicide. The Alternates are known for manipulating AV media, TVs, computers and GPS systems.”
The movie will be directed by the series’ creator, Alex Kister, based on a screenplay he adapted with Tyler Clifton.
The Mandela Catalogue has racked up an impressive 100 million views across its official episodes alone, solidifying it as one of the largest original analog horror franchises on YouTube.
Spielberg and Holly Bario are producing for Amblin Entertainment alongside Aaron B. Koontz for Paper Street Pictures and Stuber and Nick Nesbitt for United Artists. Kister and Clifton are also producing. Annie McCreery will oversee the project for United Artists. Maria Fortese will oversee for Amblin.
Get acquainted with The Mangela Catalogue below while we wait to learn more.