A24’s Chilling New Release: Bring Her Back Debuts with $7 Million Opening Weekend
Two years after captivating audiences with their debut feature Talk to Me, directors Danny and Michael Philippou return to the big screen, this time delivering a spine-tingling tale titled Bring Her Back. With A24 backing them once again, the filmmakers have unleashed another horrifying journey that has ignited discussions among horror enthusiasts.
Box Office Performance: A Promising Start
Bring Her Back made its debut in the #5 spot on the domestic box office charts over the weekend, scaring up an impressive $7 million across 2,449 theaters in the United States. While this opening weekend figure is slightly lower than Talk to Me, which garnered $10.4 million, it still marks a significant achievement for a genre that thrives on subtlety and tension.
Comparative Success and Future Prospects
Considering Bring Her Back’s opening weekend success relative to other horror films released this year is essential. It surpasses the openings of A24’s own films like Death of a Unicorn ($5.7 million) and Opus ($1 million). However, it falls short of capturing the same buzz as films like Until Dawn ($8 million) and Heart Eyes ($8.3 million). Leading the pack this year are Final Destination Bloodlines at a staggering $51 million and Sinners with $48 million.
With a reported production budget of just $15 million, it is safe to say that A24 is poised to see substantial profits as Bring Her Back continues its cinematic journey.
A Gripping Narrative and Stellar Performances
Leading the cast is Academy Award nominee Sally Hawkins, known for her evocative performances in films like The Shape of Water. In Bring Her Back, she portrays a new foster mother, entwined in a narrative filled with dread. The film unfolds as “a brother and sister uncover a terrifying ritual at the secluded home of their new foster mother.”
Alongside Hawkins, the cast features a blend of fresh faces, including Billy Barratt, Sora Wong, Jonah Wren Phillips, Sally-Anne Upton, Stephen Phillips, and Mischa Heywood—all contributing to an unsettling atmosphere that grips audiences from start to finish.
Critical Reception: Dread and Anguish
Critics have begun to weigh in, with Meagan Navarro articulating in her review for Bloody Disgusting that Bring Her Back transports viewers into a realm of “visceral and brutal” grief horror. She notes that while the film shares a thematic lineage with Talk to Me, it is devoid of the former’s vibrancy or hope. Instead, it operates on an unyielding, palpable feeling of dread and anguish that hangs heavy from beginning to end, dubbing it “the feel bad movie of the year.”
Final Thoughts and What Lies Ahead
As Bring Her Back continues to unfold within theaters, fans and critics alike remain excited about its performance and potential to exceed expectations. With A24’s track record and the Philippou brothers’ undeniable talent, it’s worth keeping an eye on this chilling narrative. Will it follow in the footsteps of its predecessors and become another horror sensation? Only time will tell.
For more thrilling content and updates about your favorite films, stay tuned!
