Sony and Screen Gems’ The Grudge ignited the 2020 box office, scaring up $11.3 million in domestic ticket sales over the weekend.
The Grudge, the first new movie to open nationwide this year, was scorned by audiences and critics alike, who branded the reboot with an F CinemaScore and a “rotten” 18% on Rotten Tomatoes. But horror mavens are a demographic hardly dissuaded by reviews. Those receipts are a solid — albeit not record-breaking — start given the R-rated horror film’s $10 million budget. It was enough to crack the top five on box office charts, though ultimately not enough to push past holiday holdovers.
Overseas, The Grudge launched in 29 international markets, where it earned $5.8 million for a global start of $17.1 million. Sam Raimi produced “The Grudge,” a remake of the 2004 movie starring Sarah Michelle Gellar. Nicolas Pesce directed the latest revival, bringing on actors Andrea Riseborough, Demian Bichir, John Cho and Betty Gilpin to take on the cursed supernatural force that wreaks havoc on all who encounter it. Despite its middling reception, the studio hopes “The Grudge” remains a draw throughout January as the lone option catering to moviegoers itching for a scare.
