NEW YORK (AP) — "Scream" is still making a killing.
Thirty years after the original slasher movie opened in theaters,"Scream 7"debuted with a franchise-best $64.1 million, according to studio estimates Sunday. The bigger-than-expected opening is a win for Paramount, which on Friday announcedits acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery.
In a so-far sluggish 2026 at the box office, "Scream 7" managed the best debut of the year, easily displacing last weekend's champ, the Stephen Curry-produced animated film"GOAT,"from Sony Pictures.
"Scream 7," which cost $45 million to make, got a boost from the return of Neve Campbell, as Sidney Prescott. The actor sat out 2023's "Scream VI," but was drawn back for the seventh film by a reported $7 million payday. Original cast members Courteney Cox, David Arquette and Matthew Lillard also co-star.
"Scream VI" had set a new high (not accounting for inflation) for the franchise with a $44.4 million launch. That film starred Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega, along with series regulars. But in 2023, Barrerawas dropped from the seventh filmby the film's production company, Spyglass Media Group, after making comments onthe Israel-Hamas warthat some deemed antisemitic. Ortega subsequently dropped out of the film.
Kevin Williamson, who wrote the 1996 original and many of the following chapters, stepped into direct, retooling the film around Campbell and company. In the film, Sidney and her 17-year-old daughter are haunted by Ghostface in the suburban community of Pine Grove.
Reviews were poor (34% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes) and audience scores (a "B-" CinemaScore) also weren't great.
But the overperformance of "Scream 7" gave Paramount more to celebrate on a potentially historic weekend for the studio. On Friday, its parent company, Paramount Skydance, announced its intention to merge with Warner Bros. Discovery afterNetflixdropped out of negotiations. The deal,which forms a Hollywood colossusand remakes the media landscape, awaits regulatory approval.
"Scream 7" benefited significantly from IMAX screens and premium format screens, something no previous "Scream" movie had on opening. The movie added $33.1 million overseas.
After claiming the top spot in its second weekend, "GOAT" dropped to second place with $12 million in its third weekend. It's so far accumulated $74 million domestically."Wuthering Heights,"Emerald Fennell's Emily Brontë adaptation, fell to third place with $7 million in its third weekend. Its three-week haul stands at $72.3 million.
The only new release to make a dent in theaters was the concert film "Twenty One Pilots: More Than We Ever Imagined." Distributed by Trafalgar Releasing, it opened with $3.7 million in 836 theaters. Another concert film also continues to perform well: "EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert." The Baz Luhrmann "Elvis" addendum added 1,615 theaters after a strong debut last week. The Neon release collected $3.5 million, pushing its two-week gross to $7.8 million.
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Top 10 movies by domestic box office
With final domestic figures being released Monday, this list factors in the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore:
1. "Scream 7," $64.1 million.
2. "GOAT," $12 million.
3. "Wuthering Heights," $7 million.
4. "Twenty One Pilots: More Than We Ever Imagined," $3.7 million.
5. "EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert," $3.5 million.
6. "Crime 101," $3.4 million.
7. "I Can Only Imagine 2," $3.1 million.
8. "Send Help," $2.8 million.
9. "How to Make a Killing," $1.6 million.
10. "Zootopia 2," $1.4 million.