Sony’s latest installment in the Ghostbusters franchise, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, has kicked off its North American box office run with a solid start, earning $4.7 million in Thursday previews. This figure slightly surpasses the $4.5 million garnered by its predecessor, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, which successfully rejuvenated the beloved series created by Ivan Reitman.
Directed by Gil Kenan this time, Frozen Empire is expected to dominate the weekend box office with an opening in the range of $43 million to $44 million, with some tracking services suggesting even higher figures. Despite receiving mixed reviews from critics, currently holding a 44 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes, positive audience feedback could potentially bolster its box office performance.
The film, set two years after the events of the previous installment, features a mix of returning and new cast members, including Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, Celeste O’Connor, and Logan Kim. Original Ghostbusters stars Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts, and William Atherton also make appearances, alongside newcomers Kumail Nanjiani and Patton Oswalt.
The storyline revolves around the Spengler family teaming up with the original Ghostbusters to combat an army of ghosts unleashed by the discovery of an ancient artifact, threatening to plunge the city into a second Ice Age.
Meanwhile, Sydney Sweeney, known for her role in the rom-com Anyone But You, returns to the big screen in Neon’s horror film Immaculate. The movie follows a nun's harrowing journey to a remote convent in Italy, where she uncovers dark secrets and unimaginable horrors. Immaculate is projected to have a modest opening at the box office.
