Longlegs is proving that original horror will attract viewers, as the marketing campaign for the NEON demonic serial killer film has paid off.
Whether it’s being hailed as the “scariest film of the decade,” a mid-tier horror movie, or the worst thing around, audiences still piled into cinemas this blazing hot weekend. Longlegs opened at $22.6 million domestically, making it the biggest opening ever for NEON. It’s also an impressive opening for the horror genre, marking the best opener for an independent horror film in a decade.
“This has been a really wild ride,” said Elissa Federoff, Neon’s chief distribution officer. “Working with the film’s creative team, we have been able to put together something really special. When you start with a film as wholly original as this one, and you combine it with a fully fleshed out, bespoke marketing campaign, you can achieve something extraordinary.”
SEE ALSO: The Essential Serial Killer Films
The industry expected the film to do well with the hit viral marketing campaign, but the Longlegs opening was over double what initial industry projections had it at, at $7 million—$9 million. At the time of writing, this is also the best opening for an original horror film this year.
Oz Perkins reportedly shot the Maika Monroe & Nicolas Cage-led film for under $10 million.
FBI Agent Lee Harker is assigned to an unsolved serial killer case that takes an unexpected turn, revealing evidence of the occult. Harker discovers a personal connection to the killer and must stop him before he strikes again.
Directed by Gretel & Hansel‘s Oz Perkins, Longlegs stars modern-day scream queen Maika Monroe (It Follows) as FBI Agent Harker and Nicolas Cage, alongside Blair Underwood, Kiernan Shipka, Alicia Witt, and Lisa Chandler.
Longlegs is now playing in cinemas
