Cinema is back – and in a big way – if A Quiet Place Part II’s North American box office is anything to go by. According to Variety, the sequel to John Krasinski’s heart-pounding sci-fi thriller made an estimated $48m (£34m) this weekend – that’s the biggest opening weekend since the pandemic began. Furthermore, the movie’s projected to have made an additional $10 million on Monday, putting its total box office within spitting distance of the $60 million opening Paramount expected the film to have pre-coronavirus.
A Quiet Place Part II’s success at the box office will be sweet relief to those championing the theatrical experience and demonstrates it’s possible for cinemas to bounce back post-coronavirus. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter Paul Dergarabedian, an analyst for Comscore – an American media measurement and analytics company – said: “It’s quite astounding that A Quiet Place Part II could generate the kind of box office that would be considered impressive in the pre-pandemic era and rank this performance in the top echelon of horror movie debuts.”
A big part of the movie’s success is that, unlike other big post-lockdown films, A Quiet Place Part II has the advantage of being a theatrical exclusive. The widely anticipated horror sequel will move to Paramount Plus 45 days after its initial release, meaning if you want to see it now you have to head to theatres.
Set in a post-apocalyptic world invaded by murderous blind alien monsters who hunt using sound, A Quiet Place Part II takes the Abbott Family (Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds, and Noah Jupe) out into the wider world in the hope of finding a new home. Along the way, they meet Emmett (Cillian Murphy), and soon they hatch a plan to help humanity fight back against the alien menace.
Opening to rave reviews, A Quiet Place Part II has been highly praised by critics who enjoyed the film’s tense atmosphere, terrifying creatures, and how writer/director John Krasinski took the story forward.
If you’re a horror hound who just can’t wait for A Quiet Place Part II, why not scratch that spooky itch by checking out our list of the best horror movies.
A Quiet Place Part II is set for release in the UK On June 3.