‘Hokum’ Scares Up $6.4M, Earns B CinemaScore and Certified Fresh Rating
May has arrived, and with it comes the unofficial start of the summer movie season – that stretch of the calendar when studios roll out their biggest crowd-pleasers, breakout originals, and box office hopefuls. Think of May as the appetizer before the summer blockbuster feast fully begins, and this year’s season is already off to a strong start thanks to Neon’s Hokum.
The low-budget indie horror film carved out an impressive opening weekend with an estimated $6.4M, proving once again that original genre fare can still break through in a marketplace dominated by franchises and sequels.
More importantly, Hokum didn’t just deliver financially; it connected with both critics and audiences alike, earning strong reviews alongside a solid B CinemaScore, a combination that has become increasingly rare in modern horror. It’s an encouraging sign not only for Neon but for the rest of May’s horror slate as well, including upcoming releases like Backrooms. If Hokum is any indication, horror fans may be in for a very strong summer.
Digressing, Neon’s Adam Scott-starring Hokum by Damian McCarthy (Oddity) debuted with $6.4 million on 1,885 screens, a nice start for the witchy tale with a $5-million budget set in a creepy Irish inn, reports Deadline. It pulls in at no. 5 in North America behind the likes of The Devil Wears Prada 2, Michael, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie and Project Hail Mary, big studio films all with much wider runs.
When novelist Ohm Bauman (Scott) retreats to a remote inn in Ireland to scatter his parents’ ashes, he is consumed by tales of a witch haunting the honeymoon suite. Disturbing visions and a shocking disappearance force him to confront dark corners of his past.
Also stars Brendan Conroy, David Wilmot, Peter Coonan, Michael Patric, Will O’Connell and Florence Ordesh.
The site notes that the opening gross speaks to the film and the overall strength of the box office, which is up 18% this weekend versus a year ago, according to Comscore. Hokum is Certified Fresh at 86% on Rotten Tomatoes with an 82% Popcornmeter and a B Cinemascore.
In other horror news, Magenta Light Studios’ shark thriller Deep Water debuted at 1,675 locations to $2.15 million. Directed by Renny Harlin, produced by KISS’ Gene Simmons, it stars Aaron Eckhart and Ben Kingsley.
Categorized:Box Office News