Nosferatua remake of a 1922 German expressionist vampire film packed with period costumes and gruesome murder, doesn’t scream ‘Christmas Day release’. (I’d say it screams more, “MY NECK! MY NECK! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE DEMON!? BE AWAY!”)
But here we are, writer-director Robert Eggers’ blood-spilling, decidedly unparalleled horror romp hitting the U.S. box office over the holiday weekend. Despite competition from giants of all ages Sonic3 And Mufasa: The Lion King, Nosferatu managed to gross $40.3 million in five days, opening on Christmas Day and running through the weekend. A report from Term suggests that sickies of all stripes, young and old, showed up to see Bill Skarsgård give one of the silliest/scariest performances of the year as the thirsty Count Orlok.
While the highs weren’t as high as in previous years, 2024 stands out as a big year for horror, with smaller studios seeing big success and a wider range of releases performing above expectations. Nosferatu belongs to them. It is a big victory for Eggers, who rose from the Indies The Witch And The lighthouse and found an affordable mode for his academic sensibilities, but also Focus Features, which has continued to release indie adult films in a variety of flavors despite the changing tides in the industry. Nosferatu is the studio’s fourth biggest opening weekend ever.
After one weekend, Nosferatu ranks number six in the overall horror box office performance rankings of the year. Here are the top 20, based on reporting available at time of publication:
1. A quiet place: day one ($138.9 million)
2. Alien: Romulus ($105.3 million)
3. Long legs ($74.3 million)
4. Smile 2 ($68.9 million)
5. Scarer 3 ($53.9 million)
6. Nosferatu ($40.3 million)
7. Speak no evil ($36.9 million)
8. The Stranger: Chapter 1 ($35.2 million)
9. Night swimming ($32.4 million)
10. Imaginary ($28 million)
11. Heretic ($27.7 million)
12. Abigail ($25.8 million)
13. The first omen ($20 million)
14. The guards ($19 million)
15. Tarot ($18.7 million)
16. The fabric ($16.4 million)
17. Spotless ($15.6 million)
19. MaXXXine ($15 million)
19. Never let go ($10.3 million)
20. Late Night with the Devil ($10 million)
Compared to 2023, when only the top 14 films surpassed $10 million, this year’s list seems like a win for horror fans hoping to see business-friendly demand for their films. There was room for blockbuster hits (A quiet place, Stranger), sequels for the fans (Scarer 3, The first omen), and ‘unsellable’ indie breakouts (Long legs, the fabric, Late Night with the Devil). When streaming-focused companies like Mubi and IFC/Shudder make money from theater productions, it’s a sign that not all theater businesses are losing steam. Just below that float films like Cuckoo, I saw the TV glowAnd In a violent natureall the little indies that miraculously grossed $4-$6 million despite being destined for streamer cult status.
Nosferatu‘s run has only just begun, but if it continues, Eggers should be able to do whatever gothic-weird experiment he wants to do. And if so a new twist Labyrinth at the Jim Henson Company, well, that’s time well spent.