‘Scary Movie’ Opening To $52M+ Franchise Record, ‘Masters of the Universe’ $31M+

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SUNDAY AM: Paramount-Miramax’s Scary Movie didn’t let go of its record this weekend with the best opening the Wayans Brothers franchise has ever seen in its 26-history with $55M, and even better, it marks the comedy fratellos return to the franchise after the original Scary Movie and Scary Movie 2. As we told you all along the movie reps a major comeback for pure comedies on the big screen, the best since 2014’s 22 Jump Streets and the best domestic star for a Paramount comedy ever ahead of 2010’s Jackass 3D ($50.3M). Miramax fully financed this $30M production (sometimes the co-owned Paramount studio sells foreign to raise funds on a pic).

Amazon MGM Studios’ Masters of the Universe, eh, not so good with $29.3M for a pic that cost $170M before P&A (Exhibit As — Tron Ares $33.2M opening domestic, $220M production cost; Joker: Folie a Deux $37.6M domestic opening, $190M production cost; Running Man $16.4M opening, $110M production cost).

Still even with Masters of the Universe, and great turnout by Fathom Entertainment’s YouTube craze The Amazing Digital Circus: The Last Act (from director Gooseworx and score by Alexander Burke), the overall weekend box office is the second best post Covid for weekend 23 with a near $183.2M, +61% from a year ago per Rentrak.

Beams Rentrak’s Head of Marketplace Trends, Paul Dergarabedian, “The first billion-dollar month of May for movie theaters at the domestic box office since 2019 is on the books and has created momentum for a June to remember at the multiplex.”

The 2026 domestic box office year to date is about to touch $4 billion (now at $3.966 billion), 13.3% ahead of the Jan. 1-June 7 frame a year ago.

For more of a deep dive into Scary Movie and Masters of the Universe, go here.

Updated top 10

SATURDAY AM UPDATE: Paramount-Miramax’s Scary Movie got louder yesterday, taking its first day/previews to $24.7M, a great thing on a night when there was a fierce battle happening in night 2 of the NBA Finals between the NY Knicks and San Antonio Spurs, 105-104. That will kick the Wayans Brothers movie up to $56M, again the best ever opening in the franchise’s 26-year history.

However, this is a huge comeback for comedies. You can point to the uber success of Deadpool and Wolverine, Barbie and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice post-Covid, but their brands and legacy more than any generated traffic. When was the last time a comedy (non-action comedy, mind you, unlike the last two Bad Boys sequels) opened to $50M+? Try 2014’s 22 Jump Street at $57M. The reboot gets a C+, which is on par with Scary Movie 4 but under the series B CinemaScore highs of Scary Movie 2 and 3. The Michael Tiddes-directed comedy gets a good 63% definite recommend in Screen Engine/Rentrak PostTrak exits. PLF screens are driving 26% of the 3-day gross. We’re hearing that Scary Movie is taking off in France.

Also, note that the under-35 strong Backrooms could also be lighter this weekend due to Scary Movie: That age demo is coming out to Scary Movie at 75%. This is playing to the younger crowd, exactly as Paramount intended it to be. Hispanic and Latino moviegoers are leading on Scary Movie at 40% (and a very strong 66% definite recommend) followed by 28% Black, 24% Caucasian and 4% Asian American. 58% guy leaning, with men over 25 at 42%, women over 25 at 27%, men under 25 at 17% (and the best definite recommend at 68%), and women under 25 at 15%. Scary Movie is playing even throughout the U.S. but best in the East, South, South Central and West. The AMC Burbank (CA) is the leading single-location gross at $71K.

Paramount motion picture global marketing czar Josh Goldstine triggered the momentum here in a hysterical and satirical social media and digital campaign that left millions in stitches. Per iSpot, Amazon MGM Studios’ Masters of the Universe outspent Paramount’s linear campaign on Scary Movie, $12.3M to $2.8M. Scary Movie ran spots during NBA, The Price Is Right, SNL, The Floor and American’s Got Talent.

Amazon MGM Studios’ Masters of the Universe was lighter at $11.7M previews/first Friday with the studio believing there’s still a path to $30.1M, which is where tracking was. Others see it lower. We will see. Pic gets a B CinemaScore and good 64% definite recommend for the general audience with kids under 12 enjoying it at 96% in the top two and a 57% must see right away.

Part of the push for this $170M production was to spur another wave of Mattel toy-buying for the muscle man barbarian action figure line, which was just revived for the movie since the Kevin Smith animated series a few years ago. Imax and PLF screens rep 44% of the weekend. Pic is playing evenly across North America but best in the South, South Central and Mountain regions. AMC Burbank in LA is currently the pic’s top grossing site with north of $47K.

Masters of the Universe ran spots during the NBA, the Winter Olympics, Sports Center and La Casa de los Famosos.

Amazon MGM Studios and Mattel wanted a new generation to discover this movie, but kids under 12 only repped 4% of the audience last night, with the over 35 at 57% still dominant, and the over 45 who grew up on the 1980s animated series at 36%. Sixty-eight percent guys, with dads outnumbering moms, 71% to 29%. And, yes, boys under 12 at 82% are far ahead of girls at 18%.

No, a $30M domestic start for a $170M production doesn’t scream ‘The Power of Gray Skull’, but we’ll wait to see where He-Man and friends are overseas tomorrow. Also, let’s see if the scores attract more families in the legs of it all.

A24’s Backrooms came in with a second Friday of $7.9M in what’s looking like a $25.7M second frame, -68%. That was to be expected given its B- CinemaScore and the fact that this is a mega-fan fueled property: It means more to them than the non-frequent moviegoer who may give it a shot. Backrooms is still prevailing with an under 35 crowd at 81%.

The continued jaw dropper as far as its hold is Focus Features’ Obsession from YouTube content creator Curry Barker, which in its fourth outing, is not far behind Backrooms with $24.8M, -9%; again the best fourth weekend ever for a horror movie, beating Blair Witch Project. Older forty and fifty something couples are finding this movie, and leaving the theater in a battle of the sexes debate, much like the Gen Z and millennial crowd it was created for.

Fathom Entertainment’s The Amazing Digital Circus: The Last Act posted a $4.3M second day. The outlook is $22M over four-days, $14M over 3 days — again, a record start for the events cinema and theatrical re-release label. No CinemaScore or PostTrak exits, but Rotten Tomatoes audience score is at a stellar 94%. When it comes to Fathom events, most of the time, it’s in-theater marketing. No TV spots here.

NBA Finals Game 3 isn’t until Monday, so don’t expect any impact on the rest of the weekend which is ringing up an estimated $184.7M, the second best result for the 23rd weekend of the year post-Covid after 2022’s $214.8M, and +64% over the same early June frame a year ago.

The chart of this AM:

FRIDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE: Paramount-Miramax’s Scary Movie is backing the comedy movie back alive, bound for a franchise opening record of $52.7M per middays estimates off a first Friday and previews of $23.5M at 3,490 theaters.

It’s also a sweet comeback moment for the Wayans Brothers, as the franchise architects have been away from their own IP following 2001’s Scary Movie 2 (blame the then-Dimension administration for not negotiating a proper return of the comedic fratellos).

RELATED: ‘Scary Movie’ Review: The Wayans Return After 25 Years And The Jokes Feel Every Bit That Old

Social media analytics corp RelishMix spotted an online reach across TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X of 653M for the sixth pic in the comedy series, 2.7x above horror franchise norms “with an aggressive push on a new TikTok page in the last three weeks, aggressive on Facebook and X, strong on YouTube and throttling well on Instagram.”

“The Scary cast has been around the block and are fully social and fully activated with Marlon Wayans at 23.3M fans, Regina Hall at 6.7M, Anna Faris at 5.3M, Anthony Anderson at 4.4M, Lochlyn Munro at 814K and Cheri Oteri at 413K,” reports RelishMix.

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“Convo runs positive for Scary Movie 6, with nostalgia doing a full victory lap in a Ghostface mask. The crowd is hyped for Cindy, Brenda, the Wayans energy, horror cameos, and the return of dumb, rude, reference-heavy spoof comedy. Viewers keep comparing it to Scream, Terrifier, M3GAN, Smile, The Substance, Longlegs, Sinners, Weapons, and even Hot Shots, which means the trailer is successfully selling itself as a parody buffet. The best chatter treats the movie like a millennial reunion event with Gen Z accidentally invited. The mood is loud, chaotic, and weirdly affectionate. Supporting reactions include ‘The fact I can actually list all the horror movies they’re parodying is already a great sign’ and ‘Was 15 when first Scary Movie came out. First time I smoked weed before we went. Yeah, miss those times. 41 now, looking for nostalgia break with this one.’”

The overall weekend looks to file in well north of $140M+ (that’s just the top five movies), which for the 23rd weekend of the year is higher than 2025’s ($112.8M) and 2024’s 3-day take ($104.3M). This best result this weekend saw post-Covid was in 2022, when Universal’s Jurassic World: Dominion led all titles to a near $215M Friday through Sunday. The movies themselves do have a villain lurking around tonight, and that’s Game 2 of the NBA finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs. Hopefully they don’t soften moviegoing any more than what we’re seeing now.

Amazon MGM Studios’ Masters of the Universe is calling dibs on second with $31.1M after a Friday/previews take of $12.1M at 3,677 sites. Hopefully those good reviews and audience scores on Rotten Tomatoes bring the families out on what’s been a near-18-year journey for this Mattel and Escape Artists take on the 1980s toys and animated TV series.

RELATED: ‘Masters Of The Universe’ Review: Nicholas Galitzine Charms His Way Into He-Man Heroics In Amusing New Take On Mattel’s Nostalgic Toys

A24/Chernin Entertainment/Atomic Monster-Blumhouse/21 Laps/Phobos’ Backrooms at 3,565 locations is currently seeing $8.5M today and a second weekend around $26.5M, -67%, which syncs with that divided B- CinemaScore from mass moviegoers. Still great, and A24’s highest-grossing movie stateside, which rise its cume through Sunday to $135.6M.

RELATED: ‘Backrooms’ Review: Chiwetel Ejiofor & Renate Reinsve Open The Door To Terror In YouTuber Kane Parsons’ Eerie Feature Debut

Fourth is Focus Features’ mighty Curry Barker horror romance Obsession with an estimated fourth Friday of $7.5M and 3-day of $24.8M, -9% dip. Very mind-blowing and not far from Michael‘s $26.4M fourth frame. Among all fourth weekends, that’s the best for a horror movie ahead of The Blair Witch Project‘s $24.3M. The weekend result will get Focus’ highest-grossing movie ever at the domestic box office up to $151.3M by EOD Sunday. Global rises to $196M+. Among Focus Features pure theatrical releases, that’s the best the label has ever seen, ahead of 2019’s Downton Abbey ($194.6M). But if you want to get technical, there 2000’s Oscar-winning Traffic from Focus predecessor/Uni classic label USA Films, which cleared $207.5M WW.

RELATED: ‘Obsession’ Review: Inde Navarrette Solidifies Scream Queen Status In Curry Barker’s Horror Directorial Breakout

Rivals were dissing Fathom Entertainment’s The Amazing Digital Circus: The Last Act on Thursday, saying that hourly ticket sales were dropping and that the Friday-Sunday take would fall short greatly. The big-screen version of the viral YouTube animated sensation is seeing $4.5M today, -42% from pic’s first day Thursday, for what’s looking like a 3-day of $13M and 4-day of $20.8M. If those numbers hold, it will rep a record opening for Fathom, besting last year’s The Chosen: Last Supper Part 1, which bowed to $12M. Forecasts for Amazing Digital Circus heading into the weekend was in the $15M-$18M range.

RELATED: Horror Movies’ Next Wave: What’s Coming In 2026, From Auteur Nightmares To Indie Breakouts

UPDATED AFTER EXCLUSIVE: Paramount-Miramax’s Scary Movie will win the weekend, but Fathom Entertainment’s YouTube sensation The Amazing Digital Circus led Thursday with a reported $7.8M at 2,235 theaters in its first regular day of release. Sources believe the pic’s weekend will be extremely front-loaded. Others were seeing $8M+ for the Glitch Productions animated finale to the cult series that also had a run on Netflix.

RELATED: The 25 Highest-Grossing Animated Films Of All Time At The Global Box Office

Scary Movie posted $7.7M in previews. Amazon MGM Studio’s Masters of the Universe wound up at $4.4M, close to where we were spotting them. Updated Rotten Tomatoes for Scary Movie is 30% Rotten for critics, 69% audience, while He-Man and friends are 70% certified fresh with critics, 88% with audiences. Both pics are sharing PLFs with Masters of the Universe conquering some of Mandalorian and Grogu‘s Imax auditoriums.

A24’s Backrooms was second on Thursday behind Amazing Digital Circus with $5.1M, -14% from Wednesday.

Week’s top 5

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PREVIOUS EXCLUSIVE: Paramount-Miramax’s reboot Scary Movie as of right now is having the first laugh (and ultimately the last) at the box office, and big, with an estimated $7.5M in previews that began at 2 p.m. Thursday. Meanwhile, Amazon MGM Studios’ $170M production of Mattel and Escape Artists’ Masters of the Universe is eyeing around $4M. That Travis Knight-directed take of the 1980s toys and cartoon series began its showtimes at 2 p.m. as well.

But the Wayans Brothers and Rick Alvarez’s Scary Movie, yikes, that’s a big preview number for a comedy, up there in the echelon of Paramount/Spyglass’ Scream 7 ($7.8M previews, $63.6M record opening for franchise) and higher than 2020’s Bad Boys for Life ($62.5M) and 2024’s Bad Boys: Ride or Die ($5.875M previews, $56.5M opening); all of ’em R-rated comps. The $30M Michael Tiddes-directed pic with an ensemble led by Anna Faris, Regina Hall and Marlon and Shawn Wayans originally was expected to do $40M-$45M stateside. Critics don’t get the movie at 29% on Rotten Tomatoes, but audiences so far seem to be laughing more at 68%.

Masters of the Universe‘s preview cash is just under 2021’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife ($4.5M, $44M opening) and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire ($4.7M, $45M), all of ’em PG-13 family pics based on 1980s franchises. Note the real audience for this feature starring Nicholas Galitzine, Camila Mendes, Idris Elba, Jared Leto and Alison Brie will come out on Saturday. Early scores are not so bad for the revamped IP at 71% certified fresh with critics and 89% with audience, much better than another expensive 1980s update, Disney’s Tron: Ares, which was powered down by critics at 52% Rotten, but better with audiences at 83%.

As we told you, Fathom Entertainment and Glitch Productions’ The Amazing Digital Circus is shaping up to do around $6.8M in its first full day at the B.O. today ahead of A24’s Backrooms, which could upset Masters of the Universe for No. 2. this weekend with a $32M-$37M second frame. We’ll see.