Blumhouse Horror Isn't As Dangerous As It Used To Be

Blumhouse achieved major commercial success over the past 15 years through low-budget, high-margin horror, with franchises that have grossed over $2 billion, a 2018 reboot that earned $260 million on a $10 million budget, and Jordan Peele's Get Out. Since the beginning of last year, Blumhouse has endured a cold streak of box-office disappointments. Several releases underperformed, including a poorly reviewed January 2024 film and a murderous teddy-bear picture regarded as a dud despite a tiny budget. Speak No Evil provided the company’s only positive cash flow for the year. Increasing competition from A24, Warner Bros., and Neon has eroded market share. Black Phone 2 opened to $27.3 million amid questions about Jason Blum’s ability to attract audiences.

"Over the past 15 years, Blumhouse has hacked a gaping wound into filmgoing consciousness with a steady flow of low-budget, high-margin horror: the Paranormal Activity, , and franchises that have combined to gross more than $2 billion; the 2018 reboot (worldwide gross $260 million on a $10 million production budget); and Jordan Peele's directorial debut, Get Out (which launched the comedian's second career as a final-cut filmmaker), to name but a few of the company's numerous hits."

"Since the beginning of last year, Blumhouse has been on a cold streak, releasing an almost uninterrupted string of box-office disappointments. In January 2024, the poorly reviewed drowned theatrically, followed in failure by the murderous teddy bear-flick (which did not hemorrhage money due to its relatively microscopic budget but is regarded as a dud). That left the vacation-friends spatter-fest Speak No Evil to provide Blumhouse's only positive cash flow for the year."

"At a time when horror competition from A24's , Warner Bros.' , and Neon's has been increasingly carving into the Blumhouse market share, the steady drumbeat of Ls has left some industry observers wondering: Is the company's eponymous head honcho, Jason Blum, losing his ability to scare up audiences? Over the weekend, Blumhouse responded to that second-guessing with a less-than-decisive "maybe not." In its first three days of wide release, the company's Ethan Hawke-led, serial-child-abductor creepfest Black Phone 2 took in $27.3 million to"

Read at Vulture