"The final ceremony"

Illustrative image. (Photo: Warner Bros.)

In its opening week, the film grossed $83 million in North America, becoming the third highest-grossing opening weekend in horror film history, surpassed only by the two "IT" films.

This resounding success also contributed to the horror genre's total revenue in the domestic market surpassing $1 billion this year.

With a total international revenue of $104 million, the film officially became the highest-grossing horror film internationally on its opening weekend.

This also marks the most successful opening in the entire The Conjuring franchise, surpassing all previous films since the first one was released in 2013.

According to Comscore analyst Paul Dergarabedian, the film's success is a testament to the enduring strength of the "The Conjuring" franchise.

Audiences know that when they step into the theater, they will experience a terrifying and dramatic journey. He stated, "Unlike any other genre, horror has always stood the test of time... Nothing compares to the experience of watching a horror movie in a dark theater with strangers."

The film follows the psychic couple Warren and her husband as they investigate one of the most haunting cases in their exorcism careers, known as the "Smurl Haunting".

Despite receiving mixed reviews from critics (55% on Rotten Tomatoes), the return of psychics Ed and Lorraine Warren (played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) still received strong support from audiences.

Collider magazine commented: “'Last Rites' is a solid conclusion to Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga's journey as the Warrens, proving they are one of the best casting choices. Wilson and Farmiga poured their hearts into this role. Their warmth and determination in embodying the Warrens created a powerful appeal from day one, and that remains intact until the very end.”

Coming in second on the list is Disney's film adaptation of "Hamilton," with $10 million in the domestic market.

The remaining spots in the top rankings were occupied by several films that had already been released. The hit horror film “Weapons” ranked third in its fifth week of release, grossing $5.4 million at North American theaters.

The film released at the same time, "Freakier Friday," took fourth place with $3.8 million.

Upcoming horror films such as “Black Phone 2” and “Five Nights at Freddy's 2” are expected to continue driving revenue for the genre in the final months of the year.

The top-grossing films at North American theaters last week:

1. “The Conjuring: Last Rites” – 83 million USD

2. “Hamilton” – $10 million

3. “Weapons” – $5.4 million

4. “Freakier Friday” – 3.8 million USD

5. “Caught Stealing” – $3.2 million

6. “The Roses” – $2.8 million

7. “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” – 2.8 million USD

8. “The Bad Guys 2” – $2.5 million

9. “Light of the World” – 2.4 million USD

10. “Superman” – $1 million./.

According to VNA