Beetlejuice Sequel Scares Up Massive Box Office Debut

The new Beetlejuice film had a record-breaking opening weekend at the box office. It earned $110 million between Friday and Sunday, making it the second highest grossing film for a September release. The sequel more than doubled experts’ predictions and showed audiences are eager to see Michael Keaton return as the ghostly character.

Beetlejuice attracted both fans of the original 1988 movie and a new generation drawn to actress Jenna Ortega. Positive reviews saying it balances horror and humor well brought people to theaters. While just shy of the September record set by It: Chapter One, Beetlejuice posted the third highest debut for any film in 2022. It far surpassed the $8 million earned by the first Beetlejuice over its entire theatrical run.

With strong word-of-mouth buzz, the Dennis Quaid film Reagan saw audiences grow in its second weekend. Though critics panned it, the biopic made $5.2 million, continuing to beat expectations. Romance drama It Ends with Us also crossed the $300 million global sales mark. This demonstrates the ongoing popularity of bestselling author Blake Lively’s novel-adaptation franchise.

International ticket sales contributed an additional $35 million to Beetlejuice’s early total. Its massive opening positions it well to be a box office leader in subsequent months.