IT's box office projections have risen from $50 million to $60 million. While it's been pretty obvious for awhile now that IT would likely do well at the box office -- the film was one of the most talked about coming out of SDCC -- it's looking more and more like Andrés Muschietti's Stephen King adaptation might end up being one of the best performing R-rated horror films of all-time.
Earlier this month, box office projections were released saying that IT was likely to make right around $50 million domestically over the course of its opening weekend. That would already be a big win for IT and studio Warner Bros., as that total would already more than make back the film's reported budget of between $35 and $45 million, not even including whatever IT makes internationally over that three-day period.
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Now, The Wrap reports that IT's box office fortunes are predicted to rise even higher, to a mighty $60-million domestic opening. That would handily trounce the $20-million opening of 1408 in 2007, easily claiming IT the title of highest-opening Stephen King adaptation of all-time. A $60-million opening would also float right past Hotel Transylvania 2's $48-million debut for the title of largest domestic opening ever for a September release.
Not content with just likely breaking the above records, a $60-million opening would enable IT to reveal its deadlights and feast upon Hannibal, which currently holds the title of all-time highest opening for an R-rated horror film with $58 million. For their part, Warner Bros./New Line are said to be downplaying expectations, and would reportedly consider anything above $35 million a satisfactory opening haul. Whether this is due to the studio possessing different projections of its own or just wanting to be cautious is unclear.
One record IT won't break -- at least unless the film's projections shoot upward majorly before its September 8 release -- is that of all-time highest opening horror title period. That record is held by I Am Legend -- 2007's Will Smith-fronted adaptation of Richard Matheson's classic novel -- with $77 million. Second on the list is Brad Pitt zombie epic World War Z, with $66 million. If IT is received well enough by moviegoers, though, one wonders if its planned sequel won't overtake those marks as well.
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Source: The Wrap
