'The Conjuring' triumphs in horror genre at box office succession

The horror sequel "The Conjuring: Last Rites" has sent shivers down the spines of audiences and box office records alike, raking in an impressive $83 million during its opening weekend in North American theaters.

The movie, which stars Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga as the paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, secured the biggest opening weekend in the "Conjuring" franchise. It also outperformed Disney's filmed version of "Hamilton," which landed in second place with $10 million domestically during the same period.

"The Conjuring: Last Rites" is the ninth installment in the popular franchise and the third-highest domestic opening for a horror movie, trailing behind "It" and "It: Chapter Two." The film made $83 million in 3,802 theaters, tipping the genre over $1 billion in earnings for this year's domestic box office.

Internationally, "The Conjuring: Last Rites" has the largest horror opening, with $104 million in earnings outside of North American theaters.

Other films that struggled to compete during "The Conjuring: Last Rites" opening weekend include "Freakier Friday," which took fourth place with $3.8 million, "Weapons" in third place with $5.4 million during its fifth weekend, "The Bad Guys 2" with $2.5 million, "Light of the World" with $2.4 million, "The Roses" with $2.8 million, and "Superman" with $1 million.

Meanwhile, "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" earned $2.75 million during "The Conjuring: Last Rites" opening weekend.

Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for the data firm Comscore, stated that the movie's performance is a testament to the franchise's success in producing classic horror movies since the first film released in 2013.

"Caught Stealing," another new release, rounded out the top five with $3.2 million in domestic earnings during "The Conjuring: Last Rites" opening weekend.

With its chilling performances, gripping storyline, and record-breaking box office success, "The Conjuring: Last Rites" is sure to continue terrorizing audiences for weeks to come.