Two new Hollywood films – Regretting You and The Black Phone 2 – faced stiff competition at the box office over Halloween weekend. The gap between them was only $100,000, but the lack of audiences made the weekend a dull one.
Theaters Empty Even on Halloween
Halloween is usually crowded with horror films, but this time, theaters were a little empty. Regretting You grossed $8.1 million in the US, while The Black Phone 2 earned $8 million. This small difference puts the two films on a near-equal footing, but the real issue is that audiences simply didn’t make it to theaters.
Weak Weekend, Changing Audience Habits
For the film industry, this weekend is a sign that people are now thinking twice before going to the cinema. Streaming platforms, sports events, and news coverage are distracting audiences at home. This is why films of any genre, whether romance or horror, are not attracting crowds.
A New Lesson for Studios
Film studios are realizing that big releases alone aren’t enough. They must better target their audiences and focus more on digital promotion. While Regretting You performed well overseas, The Black Phone 2’s domestic performance remained stagnant.
The Way Forward
If this trend continues in the coming weeks, studios may have to adjust their release strategies. This Halloween weekend demonstrated that audiences are no longer just looking to connect with films, but with experiences.
