Summer Box Office
Like Freddy or Jason, or the Undertaker in the WWE, the horror genre can never be kept down for very long. This summer saw horror films make a comeback in a big way. As much as pundits have predicted the demise of the horror genre, unlike the musical, per say, it has nearly been impossible to kill. It was again reaffirmed that public’s attachment to the horror film is both enduring and, most likely, eternal. This, despite the fact that nowadays the studios rarely break new grounds with plots or ideas. Nonetheless, horror lives on.
The Shallows, starring Blake Lively, was an unexpected hit at the box office. In the, Lively plays a surfer who battles a great white shark. Despite the fact that the shark motif had one hit, Jaws, the film has been a major box office surprise. According to The Hollywood Reporter
The Shallows showed plenty of bite. The film has taken in $93.3 million globally, including $54.8 million worldwide, after costing just $17 million to make. The survival tale was directed by well-respected Spanish filmmaker Jaume Collet-Serra, whose credits include Non-Stop and Unknown.
Haunted Horror
As well, Sony was able to produce another surprise with James Wan’s The Conjuring 2. Supernatural pictures have traditionally fared well at the box office. This is due in large part for the motif’s ability to consistently skirt the dreaded R rating. Thus, it enhances its audience potential. To date, The Conjuring 2 pulled in more than $319 million worldwide, $102 million domestically.
As well, Lights Out, another supernatural flick, scored big at the box office. It pulled in $102 million during the summer box office run. More encouraging for fans of horror was the ability of two films to do better box office with their sequels. According to the Hollywood Reporter, The Conjuring 2, along with The Purge: Election Year, were among the few sequels to better their original at the box office.
