After a miserable 2014 and a moderately okay 2015, last year saw a deluge of multiplex horror films that opened well and had something resembling legs. There will obviously still be horror films that flop, but could this be the new normal for the successful scary movie? Jordan Peele's critically-acclaimed (134 positive reviews out of 134 total reviews on Rotten Tomatoes) "social thriller" soared to the top of the weekend box office with a superb debut frame. It's also the second-largest opening ever for an original R-rated horror film, behind Blumhouse's The Purge ($34m back in June of 2013). There is a long history of horror films and films aimed at black audiences having somewhat frontloaded runs while also being cheap enough to still be quite profitable.

Source: Forbes February 26, 2017 15:45 UTC