The horror genre has once again proven its box office might, with Rob Savage's Malfaisante securing the number one spot in its opening weekend. According to figures reported by Ecranlarge, the film, starring Jessica Chastain, pulled in an estimated $27.5 million in North America. This impressive debut comes despite a truly dismal critical reception, with the film scoring a mere 39/100 on Metacritic and a low 2.3/5 audience rating on Letterboxd, suggesting word-of-mouth may be a challenge.
However, for Blumhouse, Malfaisante is already a resounding success. Produced on a modest budget of just $19 million, the film has quickly amassed $45.1 million globally. Its international rollout is still underway, with releases slated for Germany on October 29th, France on October 14th, and Japan on November 20th, indicating its worldwide total is set to climb considerably higher. This performance further solidifies horror's strong showing in 2026, following other genre hits like Send Help, Scream 7, Backrooms, Obsession, and Resident Evil.
While Malfaisante celebrates, other new releases are facing a much bleaker reality. Aaron Sorkin's highly anticipated The Social Reckoning, a drama delving into the "Facebook Files," landed with a resounding thud. The film managed only $5.5 million in its opening weekend, pushing its global total to a meager $9 million. This is a catastrophic result for a project reportedly costing between $30 million and $42 million, excluding marketing. The figures are particularly stark when compared to Sorkin's previous tech-centric hit, The Social Network, which opened to $22.4 million domestically.
Equally dire is the ongoing performance of Alejandro González Iñárritu's Digger. The "great tragicomic disaster film" starring Tom Cruise saw a steep 60% drop in its second weekend, adding just $3.2 million to its domestic tally. Its North American cumulative now stands at $14.4 million, with a global total of $35.3 million. With an estimated production budget between $160 million and $180 million, Digger is shaping up to be an historic flop. Experts cited by Ecranlarge predict Warner, now under Skydance's direction, could face losses of around $200 million. Despite its commercial failure, the source notes that Digger "opens a fascinating reflection on the state of the world and cinema," urging viewers to experience it without preconceptions.
Elsewhere in the top ranks, the erotic thriller Verity, starring Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson, took second place with $11.4 million in its second week. While its cumulative stands at a respectable $53.8 million domestically and $113 million worldwide, a significant 64.2% drop from its opening weekend suggests it won't replicate the sustained success of films like La Femme de ménage. Meanwhile, Resident Evil continues to draw audiences in its fourth week, adding $8.3 million for a domestic total of $138.5 million and a global haul exceeding $320 million, solidifying it as Zach Cregger's most successful film to date.
The latest box office report underscores the unpredictable nature of the film industry, where critical acclaim doesn't guarantee success, and genre films can often outperform prestige projects, especially in the lead-up to Halloween.