Warner Bros. and New Line’s The Conjuring: Last Rites opened to franchise-best numbers, earning $83 million domestically and $104 million internationally, for a $187 million global debut. That figure not only marks the strongest launch for the Conjuring Universe but also sets a new industry record for horror’s largest worldwide opening.
Domestically, Thursday previews brought in $8.5 million, a clear signal of pent-up demand. Friday’s $34.5 million haul pushed it to the top of the weekend charts, landing the third-biggest horror opening ever—behind only It and It: Chapter Two.
In India, the movie broke records with ₹18 crore on Day 1 and ₹17.5 crore on Day 2, totaling ₹35 crore across its first two days. Industry trackers already expect it to cross ₹50 crore by Sunday night, making it the strongest Hollywood opening of the year in the region.
A Decade of Conjuring Success
Launched in 2013, the Conjuring films have become one of Warner Bros.’ most bankable horror properties. The first entry debuted with $41M domestically and ultimately grossed over $320M worldwide. The Conjuring 2 repeated the success in 2016, while spin-offs like Annabelle and The Nun turned modest budgets into sizable profits.
Even with mixed reviews, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021) earned $206M during the pandemic era. That consistency made Last Rites one of the studio’s most anticipated films of 2025. Its massive debut now positions it as not just another horror hit, but a franchise-defining moment.
Summer 2025 Belonged to Horror
While The Conjuring: Last Rites may be the season’s grand finale, it caps off a summer defined by horror dominance.
- Weapons (Warner Bros./New Line) was the first big surprise. Directed by Zach Cregger (Barbarian), it opened to $70 million globally and has since passed $132M domestically, staying atop the charts for weeks.
- Final Destination: Bloodlines revived the long-dormant franchise, posting a $51M domestic opening and going on to gross $307M worldwide.
- M3GAN 2.0 added a smaller but still notable $39M global total, showing Blumhouse’s killer-doll brand still draws crowds.
- Indie titles like Bring Her Back ($39M), Together ($28M), and Clown in a Cornfield ($12M opening) demonstrated that horror could thrive across scales.
Combined, these films pushed horror’s domestic grosses past $1 billion in 2025. That figure is significant: in a summer where superhero sequels and several family tentpoles underperformed, horror provided the industry’s most consistent wins.
Why Horror Worked
For readers wondering why horror has outpaced other genres this summer, analysts point to several key reasons:
- Budget vs. Reward — Most horror films are produced on modest budgets, making profitability easier to achieve even with mid-level grosses.
- Communal Experience — Audiences continue to embrace theatrical horror for the shared adrenaline rush, something harder to replicate at home.
- Franchise Familiarity and Fresh Blood — Established IP like Conjuring and Final Destination drew loyal fans, while newer stories like Weapons captured younger demographics.
- Global Appeal — Horror travels well. Whether in India, Latin America, or Europe, scares transcend cultural barriers more easily than genre-specific comedy or action.
This combination helped horror stand apart from superhero fatigue, franchise burnout, and uneven blockbusters that defined much of the summer.
The Film and Its Franchise Future
The Conjuring: Last Rites was directed by Michael Chaves, who previously helmed The Devil Made Me Do It. It brings back Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga as Ed and Lorraine Warren, characters who have anchored the series since its beginning. Marketed as the “final chapter,” it closes out the Warrens’ central arc while leaving the door open for spin-offs.
Given its staggering debut, Warner Bros. is unlikely to step away from the brand. If anything, this weekend’s numbers virtually guarantee more entries—whether sequels, prequels, or side stories set in the Conjuring Universe.
Watch the Trailer
The official trailer for The Conjuring: Last Rites is available from Warner Bros. Watch it below for a first look at Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga’s return as the Warrens.
And don’t forget to look out for our upcoming FIAM review of The Conjuring: Last Rites, where we’ll break down how the film holds up as both a franchise finale and a standalone horror event.
Flix FAQs
Q: Does The Conjuring: Last Rites include a post-credits scene?
A: Yes. A mid-credits stinger hints at future franchise directions.
Q: Will the movie release on streaming?
A: Warner Bros. has not confirmed a date, but it is expected to debut on Max later this fall after its theatrical run.
Q: Is this truly the last Conjuring movie?
A: It is the final mainline film featuring Ed and Lorraine Warren, but Warner Bros. has signaled interest in future spin-offs and prequels. The Conjuring Universe is not necessarily finished.
Q: How does it compare to other horror films this summer?
A: It outperformed Weapons’ $70M global debut, outpaced Final Destination: Bloodlines’ $51M domestic launch, and contributed to a season where horror consistently topped the charts.
Q: Why is horror thriving when other genres are struggling?
A: Modest budgets, international resonance, and the theatrical draw of shared scares have kept horror thriving while big-budget franchises falter.
The Bigger Picture
The Conjuring: Last Rites stands as both a franchise triumph and a symbol of horror’s industry dominance. Its $187M worldwide debut not only cemented the Conjuring Universe’s profitability but also confirmed what the summer’s numbers already suggested: horror has become Hollywood’s most reliable genre.
Where superhero sagas struggled to regain their footing, horror consistently delivered—whether through established IP (Final Destination), bold new ideas (Weapons), or small-scale indies (Clown in a Cornfield). By crossing the $1 billion mark domestically this year, horror has proven it’s no longer just a seasonal genre, but the backbone of the box office.
Summer 2025 belonged to horror, and The Conjuring: Last Rites is the crowning achievement of the season.
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