Fall swoops in on much cooler, football-fanatic winds, but the NFL’s return didn’t slow No. 1 Beetlejuice Beetlejuice one iota at the box office. As it turns out, there’s still plenty of life left in the mischievous ole ghost with the most — over $100 million’s worth, in fact. Believe it or not, 36 years may have passed since Tim Burton’s original film hit theaters back in 1988, but the long-awaited sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, didn’t miss a beat over its opening weekend.
Michael Keaton’s return as the beloved character made an estimated $110 million domestically (per The Numbers) en route to the top spot. In fact, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’s opening-weekend numbers were good enough to approach the all-time record for the most money made by a film premiering in the month of September, as only $13 million separated Burton’s highly anticipated sequel and the current record holder, It.
The 2017 big-screen adaptation of author Stephen King’s epic novel of the same name continues to reign at No. 1 when it comes to the best September opening weekends of all time with $123.4 million. However, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’s frighteningly good numbers were strong enough to win the silver medal on that particular record-setting list below (via Box Office Mojo):
Top 5 All-Time September Opening Weekends (Domestic)
- It ($123.4 million)
- Beetlejuice Beetlejuice ($110 million)
- It Chapter Two ($91.1 million)
- Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings ($75.4 million)
- The Nun ($53.8 million)
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Finally Frightens Off Deadpool & Wolverine
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’s sandworm-sized opening day on Friday, September 6 was the first clear indication that director Tim Burton and star Michael Keaton’s highly anticipated sequel was going to do something very special to start its theatrical run. The Beetlejuice (1988) follow-up exceeded its anticipated numbers and made a whopping $41.8 million to monopolize theaters across the country as Friday’s No. 2 Deadpool & Wolverine only managed to make $1.7 million by comparison. Everyone was flocking to see the ghost with the most… period!
The dominant trend continued on Saturday for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice with another $41.8 million, while No. 2 Deadpool & Wolverine only managed to close the gap a tiny bit with $2.2 million of its own. The Beetlejuice sequel still won Sunday outright, but it only brought in $26.4 million.
But Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’s $110 million opening weekend still ran away from the rest of the field. For only the second time since premiering back on July 26, Deadpool & Wolverine settles for No. 2 ($7.2 million) at the box office. Reagan lays claim to No. 3 with $5.2 million, while No. 4 Alien: Romulus makes another $3.9 million. And Blake Lively’s rom-dram It Ends with Us rounds out the Top 5 with $3.8 million.
Another newcomer, A24’s The Front Room, just manages to crack the Top 10. The Brandy-flavored horror thriller checks in at No. 10 with $1.7 million. Meanwhile, another newbie this weekend, Utopia’s critically praised Red Rooms, opens in limited release (50 theaters) to only $40,295.
James McAvoy’s horror film Speak No Evil opens appropriately enough on Friday, September 13, while the Dave Bautista-led The Killer’s Game also joins the fall movie lineup next weekend. Director Justin Folk’s documentary Am I a Racist could get lost in the shuffle, and moviegoers will also have the choice to relive a horror classic as Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter will celebrate its 40th anniversary in cinemas on September 10, 13 and 15.
Check out the trailer for the
Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter
40th anniversary screenings below: