we all know that Michael Meyers always returns. Although, judging from the title ‘Halloween Ends’… will this finally be the end of his reign of terror? Jamie Lee Curtis returns as Laurie Strode, who is more than ever done with the seemingly unstoppable serial killer
No matter how you look at the numbers, “Halloween Ends” had a good opening weekend.
Touted as the final showdown between Laurie Strode and Michael Myers, the slasher pic earned $41.3 million in ticket sales from 3,901 theaters in North America, according to studio estimates Sunday. It’s the first film to open higher than $40 million since “Nope” debuted in July and it surpassed its production budget, which has been reported to be between $20 and $30 million. Including international showings, it boasts a global total of $58.4 million.
“We are extraordinarily excited that Blumhouse once again delivered an incredible film and another No. 1 opening,” said Jim Orr, Universal’s head of domestic distribution. “Jamie Lee Curtis had audiences across North America engaged and terrified.”
The film also renewed an evergreen debate about day-and-date movie releases and some in Hollywood are wondering whether it could have been even bigger if it hadn’t debuted simultaneously on Peacock, NBC Universal's streaming service.
Going into the weekend, some analysts had pegged “Halloween Ends” for an opening in the $50 to $55 million range. “Halloween Kills,” the previous installment in the David Gordon Green-directed “Halloween” trilogy, opened day-and-date last year and still grossed $49 million on opening weekend.
Read the full breakdown of last week's box office hits here:
15 must-watch Halloween movies streaming on Hulu
Family-friendly films
UpdatedIf you’re looking for kid-friendly Halloween movies that go light on the scary stuff, there are plenty of picks.
1. Monster House
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This animated PG movie starring Steve Buscemi and Maggie Gyllenhaal follows a trio of preteens who discover a terrifying secret about the house across the street. Very young children might find certain scenes scary, but older children will have no problem enjoying this movie.
2. Double, Double, Toil and Trouble
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This is a classic in the Mary-Kate and Ashley cannon. Like the plot of most 1990s movies featuring the twins, two precocious girls are tasked with saving clueless adults — in this case the Olsens save their parents from their aunt’s greedy clutches, while meeting magical friends along the way. Millennial parents who grew up with this movie can now pass it on to the next generation by watching it with their children.
3. Madagascar: A Little Wild — A Fang-tastic Halloween
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Fans of the "Madagascar" franchise can stream this Halloween-themed Hulu special with the whole family. It’s G-rated and uplifting, with the lead character learning not to judge a new bat based on appearances. It clocks in at just 23 minutes, so younger children will have an easy time paying attention to the plot.
4. Tiny Toon Adventures: Night Ghoulery
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Parents will love the 1990s cartoon nostalgia, and kids will love the goofy slapstick comedy in this made-for-TV Halloween special. It’s rated TV-G, so it’s appropriate for all ages.
5. Hotel Transylvania
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If you have a child who’s a little scared of all things spooky, this fun PG-rated comedy about Dracula inviting famous monsters to a birthday party is the perfect way to calm their fears. The comedic cast includes voice acting by Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg and Selena Gomez.
Cult classic and throwbacks
UpdatedThese films have held up for many moons, and are worth a revisit every spooky season.
6. Kazaam
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Is "Kazaam" a good movie? It depends on your definition of good. If you can’t stand wooden acting, a meandering plot and an unimaginative script, you’re probably in the same camp as the Rotten Tomatoes critics who gave this masterpiece a score of 5%. But if you’re ready to watch a family-friendly nostalgic 1990s mess that features Shaquille O’Neal as a 3,000-year-old genie and the titular character, stream away.
7. Ghostbusters
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No Halloween movie list would be complete without this comedy classic. The 1984 film has inspired sequels and spin-offs, but the original — featuring Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Sigourney Weaver — remains a fan favorite decades after its release. You can stream "Ghostbusters" and "Ghostbusters II" on Hulu in 2022.
8. The Rocky Horror Picture Show
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Spend the night in Dr. Frank-N-Furter’s mansion by streaming this classic on Hulu. This raunchy 1970s comedy cult classic starring Tim Curry will be sure to have you singing along.
9. The Sixth Sense
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Bruce Willis, Toni Collette and a young Haley Joel Osment star in this supernatural film about a young boy who communicates with spirits. This late 1990s flick was a huge box office hit and established M. Night Shyamalan as a noteworthy director, with a knack for pulling off big surprise endings.
10. The Blair Witch Project
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This 1999 iconic horror film used a shaky first-person handheld camera that launched a thousand parodies. All mocking aside, it’s impossible not to jump at some of the sudden scares in this faux-documentary about film students investigating the legend of the Blair Witch.
11. Blade
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Wesley Snipes stars as a half-vampire, half-man who becomes a vampire hunter to protect the human race in this 1998 Marvel adaptation. All three "Blade" movies are on Hulu, so you can binge watch the trilogy for Halloween 2022.
Modern horror movies
UpdatedIf you like to spend the month of October on the edge of your seat, these thrillers are worth checking out.
12. Let the Right One In
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This film boasts a 98% rating on Rotten Tomatoes for good reason. The Swedish romantic horror movie completely turned the vampire genre on its head. The film follows a 12-year-old boy named Oskar who becomes close to a centuries old vampire child.
13. Memories of Murder
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Director Bong Joon-ho might be best known to American audiences for the 2019 thriller "Parasite," but 16 years earlier he made this must-watch film.You can stream both on Hulu, but horror fans shouldn’t overlook this story of three desperate detectives in 1980s South Korea as they attempt to understand a killer.
14. Prey
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"Prey," the 2022 prequel to "Predator," follows a fierce warrior in 1719 as she protects her people from an alien predator. The Dan Trachtenberg-directed film boasts a 93% score on Rotten Tomatoes, making it one of the must-see horror movies of the year.
15. The Feast
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This quietly disturbing 2021 horror film follows an affluent family hosting a dinner party, when a mysterious young woman arrives and things slowly unravel. Fans of slow-burn movies with a chilling ending like "The Witch or Midsommar" will love this Halloween pick.
It’s October again, and you know what that means: It’s time to trick your pets into a Halloween costume and reward them with a whole lot of treats.
From ghost stories to Southern Gothics, these 10 haunting book selections will have you primed for Halloween in no time.
