Why The Conjuring’s $100 Million Box Office Haul Is Wonderful for Horror
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The breakout horror hit The Conjuring has surpassed the nine-figure mark at the box office. What does that mean? Well, it means James Wan and company are probably swimming in their money pits like Scrooge McDuck, but it’s also good news for the rest of us.
Every time a horror film succeeds like this, it can only be good. What’s even better is that not only is The Conjuring making boatloads of dough, but it’s doing it in the middle of the summer blockbuster season, where horror has traditionally gotten its ass beat. However, due to some past successes, Warner Brothers and New Line Cinema rolled the dice on The Conjuring and are now reaping the rewards. And for each success like this, studios become more and more willing to take the chance on original horror films making us fans happy, happy, happy.
And why wouldn’t they? The risk in investing in a horror film is miniscule compared to other movies and the potential payouts are ridiculous if the film is decent and marketed well. The Conjuring cost $20 million to make and has just gone over the $100 million mark at the box office. Earlier this year the Evil Dead remake made over $97 million at the box office with a price tag of a mere $17 million to produce. And think of the historical juggernauts like The Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity. You could barely buy a decent car for what it cost to make both of these films, and together they made nearly half a billion dollars at the box office and spawned lucrative remakes (although I did make myself a promise never to mention Blair Witch 2 again).
Studios have to be starting to realize that the horror genre is a cash cow. And the films don’t require insane amounts of money to create. They don’t have to gamble $250 million like Disney put up to make John Carter or the $225 million they put up with Jerry Bruckheimer to make The Lone Ranger. Believe me, if horror keeps delivering like this and Disney keeps taking a bath on these big-budget productions, it won’t be long before we’re seeing that Mouse wielding a chainsaw.
So congratulations to James Wan as well the great cast of The Conjuring: Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Ron Livingston and Lili Taylor. And congratulations to the rabidly loyal horror fanbase who run to the theater to support their genre every time. The Conjuring may signal a turning point where the big production companies realize original horror is a hot commodity that, if done correctly, can make the audience squeal with delight while the movie houses line their pockets. Everybody wins!
Read our review of The Conjuring here!
In case you missed them, check out our exclusive video interviews with James Wan and Lorraine Warren and the cast of The Conjuring.
Synopsis
Before there was Amityville, there was Harrisville. Based on a true story described in the book House of Darkness, House of Light: The True Story by Andrea Perron, The Conjuring tells the horrifying tale of how world renowned paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren were called upon to help a family terrorized by a dark presence in a secluded farmhouse. Forced to confront a powerful demonic entity, the Warrens find themselves caught in the most terrifying case of their lives.
From New Line Cinema comes a feature film drawn from the case files of married demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren. The Conjuring stars Academy Award nominee Vera Farmiga (“Bates Motel,” Orphan) and Patrick Wilson (Hard Candy, Insidious) as the Warrens and Ron Livingston (HBO’s “Band of Brothers”) and Lili Taylor (Public Enemies) as Roger and Carolyn Perron, residents of the house.
Related Story: The Conjuring News Archive
Joey King (Crazy, Stupid, Love), Shanley Caswell (Detention), Haley McFarland (TV’s “Lie to Me”), Mackenzie Foy (The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn), and newcomer Kyla Deaver play the Perrons’ five daughters, and Sterling Jerins (World War Z) is the Warrens’ little girl, Judy.
James Wan (Saw, Insidious) directs from a screenplay by Chad Hayes and Carey W. Hayes (The Reaping). The film is produced by Peter Safran, Tony DeRosa-Grund, and Rob Cowan with Walter Hamada and Dave Neustadter serving as executive producers. Reuniting with the director are members of his Insidious creative team, director of photography John Leonetti, editor Kirk Morri, and costume designer Kristin M. Burke, and his Saw production designer, Julie Berghoff. The music is composed by Joseph Bishara.
New Line Cinema presents an Evergreen Media Group/Safran Company Production of a James Wan Film: The Conjuring. The film will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.
The film opens in the US and the UK on July 19, 2013.
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