Box Office: ‘Insidious: The Red Door’ Earns Strong $5 Million in Previews, ‘Joy Ride’ Grosses $1.1 Million

Brent Lang

Sony’s “Insidious: The Red Door” scared up $5 million in Thursday night screenings, a strong start for the moderately-priced horror flick. It was also nearly enough to displace “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” which made $5.2 million on the same day. Indy may still top the box office in its second weekend of release, but “Insidious: The Red Door” is proving to be more competitive than some thought. The latest installment in the long-running horror franchise is expected to net $25 million during its debut weekend.

The weekend’s other major new release, Lionsgate and Point Grey’s “Joy Ride,” earned $1.1 million in Thursday previews. The R-rated comedy is expected to generate between $7 million to $9 million in its debut. “Joy Ride” is the feature directing debut of “Crazy Rich Asians” co-screenwriter Adele Lim. It’s the story of four friends who embark on a trip to help one member of their group find her birth mother. Raunchy detours ensue. Critics have praised “Joy Ride,” providing it with a 92% “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Ashley Park, Sherry Cola, Stephanie Hsu and Sabrina Wu star in the film.

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“Insidious: The Red Door” was produced by a troika of Screen Gems, Stage 6 Films and Blumhouse. It is being billed as the conclusion to the horror franchise, one that brings back original cast members Patrick Wilson, Ty Simpkins, Andrew Astor and Rose Byrne for more jump scares. Wilson also makes his directorial debut in addition to starring in the picture.

But the big story is the continued struggles of “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.” The $300 million film has earned less than $95 million in its first week in theaters. It’s not the kind of magical ending that Harrison Ford’s hero hoped to discover when he donned his fedora for one final ride.

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