Movies
‘Alien’ (1979) and ‘The Mummy’ (1999) Just Battled at the Box Office; Which One Came Out On Top?
It was a very interesting weekend at the box office here in the United States. While the Sam Raimi-produced action-thriller Boy Kills World failed to make a splash and Radio Silence’s hugely entertaining vampire movie Abigail continues to make far less money than it deserves, two genre movies from the distant past managed to make their own mark on the charts.
Both Ridley Scott’s 1979 horror classic Alien and the Brendan Fraser-starring action-horror movie The Mummy (1999) were re-released into theaters, the former film celebrating its 45th anniversary and the latter movie returning to theaters for its 25th anniversary.
Which film came out on top, you might be wondering? The original Alien won this particular battle, coming in at #11 on the weekend charts. The Mummy currently sits in the #14 spot.
While Alien scared up $1,563,000 in its re-release weekend and The Mummy pulled in a bit less at $1,040,000, it’s important to note that Alien received a wider release. Alien found its way into 1,750 theaters, while The Mummy was re-released into 1,236 theaters. If released in the same amount of theaters, it’s pretty safe to say those numbers would be even closer.
The bigger story here is that Alien – a 45 year old movie – made just about as much this past weekend as Boy Kills World ($1,675,475), a new release that opened in 1,993 theaters. It’s a testament to the enduring power of both Alien and The Mummy that they each had million dollar weekends all these years later, and a reminder that theaters provide something extra special to audiences that they can’t quite get from streaming and physical media releases at home. If theaters are playing something audiences actually want to see, they will show up.
Both Alien and The Mummy are still playing in theaters as we start a brand new week, so be sure to check your local listings if you’re eager to revisit them on the biggest screen possible.
They’re now playing for a limited time only.
NEON has been absolutely slaying the marketing game for their horror output this year, and they’re kicking the Longlegs campaign into high gear with one more month until release.
A cryptic ad in The Seattle Times today (seen below) has led clever horror fans to discover TheBirthdayMurders.net, the brand new official viral marketing website for Longlegs.
The in-universe website details the victims of the serial killer known as Longlegs (Nicolas Cage), described as a “Satan-worshipping psycho” who has terrorized families throughout the Pacific Northwest for nearly three decades.
The website details, “A bloody trail of bodies here in the great state of Oregon attests to the depraved savagery of this one-of-a-kind serial killer. With over three dozen victims that we know of, LONGLEGS is one of the most prolific mass murderers ever to have graced the region, and his gruesome endeavors are the stuff of nightmares. At first, all of the killings appeared to be straightforward murder-suicides: the handiwork of average men who suddenly snapped and slaughtered their wives and children. But a series of eerie coded messages left at the crime scenes indicate that someone – or something – is influencing these horrific crimes. The cryptic letters are signed by someone calling himself LONGLEGS.”
“With thirty-eight kills to his name, LONGLEGS has torn apart the lives of eleven different families throughout the Beaver State. His victims were good people: honest fathers, decent mothers, innocent little children.”
The website is loaded with secrets, clues, and gruesome (faux) crime scene photos, and you might even find a mention of yours truly nestled in there. Poke around. Stay a while.
Longlegs arrives in theaters July 12.
The upcoming serial killer horror movie marks the return of director Osgood Perkins (The Blackcoat’s Daughter, Gretel & Hansel). Nicolas Cage stars alongside Maika Monroe, with Monroe playing an FBI agent and Cage playing a serial killer.
In the film, “FBI Agent Lee Harker (Monroe) is a gifted new recruit assigned to the unsolved case of an elusive serial killer (Cage). As the case takes complex turns, unearthing evidence of the occult, Harker discovers a personal connection to the merciless killer and must race against time to stop him before he claims the lives of another innocent family.
The film is rated “R” for “Bloody violence, disturbing images and some language.”
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