LOS ANGELES — New Line Cinema and Atomic Monster’s The Conjuring: Last Rites is shaping up to deliver a strong box office debut, with early tracking suggesting a $35–$40 million opening weekend when it releases on September 5.
Although this September lacks a massive tentpole like last year’s Beetlejuice ($111M opening), Warner Bros. continues its tradition of owning the post-Labour Day frame with major horror releases. The studio has dominated this slot since It: Chapter One opened in 2017 with $123.4 million, still the biggest September debut to date. In 2018, The Nun claimed the largest opening in The Conjuring franchise at $53.8 million.
Directed by Michael Chaves (The Nun II, The Devil Made Me Do It), Last Rites reunites audiences with paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, as they face one final terrifying case involving mysterious supernatural forces.
The franchise’s recent entries faced challenges that limited their box office potential. The Nun II, released amid the 2023 Hollywood strikes, opened to $32.6 million before finishing at $83.2M domestically. The Devil Made Me Do It, released during Warner Bros.’ day-and-date HBO Max strategy in 2021, launched at $24.1M and concluded with $65.6M.
With Last Rites receiving a full theatrical release, industry analysts expect the film to restore the franchise’s earning power. Early audience tracking shows strong interest across demographics, particularly among women under 25 and over 25, as well as men under 25 — outperforming comparable horror titles like Alien: Romulus ($42M tracking) and Insidious: The Red Door ($33M opening).
If momentum continues, The Conjuring: Last Rites could become one of September’s top horror openings and a fitting finale for one of the genre’s most successful modern franchises.