Sam Raimi's return to the horror genre after a long hiatus of 17 years has created quite a buzz in the film industry, and his latest film has emerged as a top box office success. Known for his iconic works such as "The Evil Dead" and "Darkman," Raimi has taken a break from directing horror films since his 2009 release, "Drag Me to Hell." While he has produced notable titles like "Crawl" and "Don't Breathe," fans have been eagerly awaiting his directorial comeback. Enter "Send Help," a film that clearly resonated with audiences and captured the number one spot at the box office during a fiercely competitive weekend.
Released by Disney's 20th Century Studios, "Send Help" debuted with an estimated domestic earning of $20 million over the weekend. This figure was enough to surpass Markiplier's indie sensation "Iron Lung," which opened with a commendable $17.8 million. Interestingly, early projections had anticipated a significantly lower opening for "Send Help," predicting around $10 million, making its actual performance even more impressive. The film also generated an additional $8.1 million from international markets, bringing its global total to $28.1 million right out of the gate.
While this initial earnings report does not fully cover the film's reported $40 million budget, it marks a positive start, particularly given the challenges original films face in drawing crowds these days. Additionally, once "Send Help" becomes available on streaming platforms like Hulu, its appeal is likely to increase further.
The plot of "Send Help" revolves around an employee and her boss who find themselves stranded on an island following a catastrophic plane crash. As they struggle to survive, the story takes dark and bloody turns. The film features Dylan O'Brien, known for his role in "The Maze Runner," alongside Rachel McAdams, who has previously collaborated with Raimi on "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness." The screenplay was penned by Damian Shannon and Mark Swift, celebrated for their work on the 2009 reboot of "Friday the 13th."
Raimi's achievement with "Send Help" is particularly noteworthy amidst a crowded January release schedule for horror films. Several new horror entries underperformed at the box office, paving the way for Raimi's triumphant return. Notably, "28 Years Later: The Bone Temple" flopped and will not come close to matching its predecessor's impressive $151 million worldwide total. Similarly, "Return to Silent Hill" managed only modest success, primarily due to strong overseas earnings, while "Primate" is already fading from the top ten despite a decent domestic run. These factors contributed to Raimi regaining his position as a dominant force in the box office.
This success continues a remarkable streak for Raimi that began with the groundbreaking 2002 release of "Spider-Man," which was the first film to earn over $100 million in its opening weekend. That film went on to gross over $820 million globally and remains a quintessential superhero blockbuster. Raimi followed up with two more successful Spider-Man films, collectively raking in over $2.5 billion worldwide.
The 21st century has proven particularly lucrative for Raimi, who also directed "Oz the Great and Powerful" (which earned $493 million globally) and "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" (which grossed a staggering $955 million). Remarkably, the only film he directed since 2000 that didn’t reach the top of the box office is "Drag Me to Hell," which nonetheless made $91 million on a $30 million budget. In the world of Hollywood, Raimi's track record seems almost unassailable.
Looking ahead, many are left wondering what Raimi's next move will be. Will he dive into another horror project, or could he take the helm of a major production like "Doctor Strange 3"? For now, he can celebrate yet another cinematic triumph with "Send Help," which is currently playing in theaters.
