M. Night Shyamalan’s latest thriller, Trap, is set to hit theaters this Friday. Despite its anticipated debut, the film faces tough competition from the reigning box office leader, Marvel’s Deadpool & Wolverine.
Projections suggest Trap will earn between $15 million and $20 million in its opening weekend, competing closely with Universal’s disaster film, Twisters. Now in its third week, Twisters, starring Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones, is expected to bring in an additional $17 million to $19 million. To date, Twisters has achieved impressive earnings of $154 million domestically and $220 million globally. Meanwhile, Sony’s family-friendly release, Harold and the Purple Crayon, is predicted to have a modest start with an opening of $6 million to $7 million.
Despite the new releases, Deadpool & Wolverine is set to maintain its box office dominance in its second weekend. Although ticket sales may drop by 55% to 65% from its impressive $211 million opening, the film is still expected to generate between $75 million and $95 million. With less than a week in theaters, the superhero sequel has already amassed $235.8 million domestically and $496 million globally, making it one of the year’s highest-grossing films. It’s on track to surpass Despicable Me 4 ($679 million) and Dune: Part Two ($711 million), securing its place as the second-biggest film of 2024. Disney’s Inside Out 2, which has garnered $1.5 billion worldwide, currently holds the top spot.
Trap features Josh Hartnett as a serial killer attending a pop concert with his teenage daughter, only to discover it’s a setup by the police. Shyamalan’s previous film, Knock at the Cabin, opened with $14 million and concluded with a global total of $54.7 million. Unless Trap exceeds expectations, it may rank among the lower openings of Shyamalan’s career. However, with Shyamalan’s practice of self-financing his films and keeping budgets low, they don’t need massive earnings to be profitable. Warner Bros. is distributing Trap.
The film’s release comes at a time when horror has had a mixed year at the box office. While Neon’s low-budget Longlegs emerged as a surprise hit with $58.6 million in North America, other recent horror releases like The First Omen ($53 million globally), Blumhouse’s Night Swim ($54 million globally), the vampire-themed Abigail ($42 million globally), and Lionsgate’s Imaginary ($39 million globally) haven’t resonated as strongly with audiences.
Harold and the Purple Crayon, based on the beloved children’s book, stars Zachary Levi as a man who brings his drawings to life with a magical marker. This live-action/animated hybrid will contend with the well-established Inside Out 2 and Despicable Me 4, which have consistently performed well at the box office. With a production budget of $40 million, Sony hopes Harold will appeal to family audiences throughout the summer.
Despite the successes of Inside Out 2 and Deadpool & Wolverine, the overall domestic box office is still down 17% compared to 2023, according to Comscore. Upcoming fall releases like Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and Joker: Folie à Deux are anticipated to help bridge the gap.
