'The Conjuring 2' Opens With $16.4 Million on Friday

Madison Wolfe as Janet Hodgson

Image via collider.com

This year has been disappointing in terms of sequels. Films such as The Huntsman: Winter's War, Alice Through The Looking Glass, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows and Now You See Me 2 have not been met with high praise. These days, many sequels have been viewed as "cash grabs" rather than necessary continuations of their predecessors. We know that sequels have a tendency to underperform, but history has shown that sequels also have the possibility of being even better than the original films. For example, Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back, Terminator 2: Judgement Day, Aliens and The Godfather Part II have been viewed as the best of these franchises. So, sequels can work, and The Conjuring 2 definitely did not disappoint.

In July of 2013, The Conjuring finished its opening weekend with a domestic total of $41.8 million. It's equally as terrifying sequel finished at #1 on Friday, beating two other sequels (TMNT 2, Now You See Me 2), with a total of $16.4 million. It is on pace to finish the weekend with a total of $38 million, just $3 million shy of the original film.

Having seen this film already I can say that it is definitely a worthy sequel. I hope that the film continues to do well because James Wan, his team and the actors really do put their heart and soul into these films. I think because they've gotten so close to Lorraine Warren, they want to make sure these are quality films that do justice to these cases and the families involved. Personally, and as stated by the writers of both films, Chad and Carey Hayes, I hope these films continue to be made. The whole team involved in these films have such a hold on the subject matter and the characters of Ed and Lorraine Warren that it would be a crime to abandon their stories.

If you'd like to hear more about The Conjuring 2, check out this interview with Chad and Carey Hayes from the Schmoes Know Show and remember to subscribe to their YouTube channel.