Universal and Blumhouse’s new horror sequel “Insidious: The Last Key” scared up $1.985 million at the Thursday box office when it opened in 2,220 theaters.
In comparison, “Insidious: Chapter 3” earned $1.6 million on a Thursday in 2015, while “Chapter 2” grossed $1.5 million in 2013 previews. In total, the franchise has earned $189 million at the domestic box office.
“Insidious 4” is expected to earn around $20 million on its opening weekend. That’s in line with “3,” which earned $22 million — however, it won’t come close to “2,” which debuted with a spectacular $40 million.
“Insidious: The Last Key” sees Lin Shaye return as as Dr. Elise Rainer as her haunted childhood comes to threaten her family and home. Series co-creator Leigh Whannell wrote the film, with newcomer Adam Robitel (“Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension”) directing.
Currently, the fourth film in the franchise holds a score a score of 20 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.
Meanwhile, STX will expand Aaron Sorkin’s directorial debut “Molly’s Game” from 271 screens to 1,500 this weekend. The film has made $6.9 million since its Christmas Day launch for a per-screen average of just under $24,000, and the film is expected to match that amount this weekend with $6-7 million.
Starring Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba, and Kevin Costner, the film tells the true story of Molly Bloom and how she created the biggest underground poker game in Los Angeles and New York. It scored an A- on CinemaScore and an 82 percent from critics on Rotten Tomatoes.
But the weekend’s top grossers are expected to be Sony’s “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle,” which crossed the $200 million mark this week, and Disney/Lucasfilm’s “Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” which has pulled in roughly $550 million domestically.