Patrick Wilson as Ed Warren and Vera Farmiga as Lorraine Warren in 'The Conjuring: Last Rites.' Giles Keyte/Warner Bros. Share on Facebook Share on X Share to Flipboard Send an Email Show additional share options Share on LinkedIn Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share on Tumblr Share on Whats App Print the Article Post a Comment Logo text Let the haunting begin. Jolting the sleepy box office back to life as fall gets underway, New Line's The Conjuring: Last Rites scared up a franchise-best $8.5 million in Thursday previews in yet another win for the Warner Bros. film empire. That's also the biggest franchise gross of the year to date for a horror film after passing up the $5.8 million earned in previews by Sony's 28 Years Later. The Conjuring: Last Rites stars Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson in their final turn as real-life paranormal investigators Lorraine and Ed Lorraine, but that doesn't mean the franchise is going anywhere. Last Rites is being billed as the ninth and final title in Phase One of The Conjuring Universe, which has become the top-grossing horror franchise in box office history after collecting more than $2.3 billion in global ticket sales. Next up is Phase Two. Related Stories Movies 'The Conjuring: Last Rites' Review: Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson Return for a Concluding Chapter Full of Stale Scares Movies Studio-By-Studio Summer Market Share: The Box Office Haves and Have Nots Directed by series regular Michael Chaves, Last Rites - a sequel to The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me to Do It - is based on the Warrens' investigation of the Smurl haunting in Pennsylvania. Mia Tomlinson and Ben Hardy also star, with Atomic Monster's James Wan and DC Studios co-chief Peter Safran returning to produce. Last Rites is headed for a domestic debut that could approach or cross $50 million, although New Line and parent studio Warners are being more cautious and sticking with $35 million. In 2013, the very first Conjuring movie opened to $41 million domestically. No subsequent franchise title has been able to topple that record, although many are betting on Last Rites to do just that. Overseas, the movie is expected to open to another $50 million from more than 60 markets against a net production budget of $55 million before marketing. Critics haven't been so kind to the new Conjuring movie - the same could be said for most installments - but early audience reaction is promising. THR Newsletters Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day Subscribe Sign Up venice film festival reviews 'Duse' Review: Valeria Bruni Tedeschi Radiates Feverish Luminosity in Challenging Historical Character Study Toronto Film Festival Amid the Tragedy of War, Palestinian Filmmakers Are Finding a Way to Break Through Toronto Film Festival James McAvoy Talks Fake Scottish Rappers Conning the World in 'California Schemin' Heat Vision Mark Ruffalo Hasn't Seen a 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day' Script Yet but "Can't Wait to Work With" Jon Bernthal's Punisher Venice Film Festival Venice Days Top Prize Awarded to Amir Azizi's 'Inside Amir' Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery Hamptons Film Fest Sets Sydney Sweeney Honor, World Premiere of 'Merrily We Roll Along' as Closing Night Film (Exclusive) venice film festival reviews 'Duse' Review: Valeria Bruni Tedeschi Radiates Feverish Luminosity in Challenging Historical Character Study Toronto Film Festival Amid the Tragedy of War, Palestinian Filmmakers Are Finding a Way to Break Through Toronto Film Festival James McAvoy Talks Fake Scottish Rappers Conning the World in 'California Schemin' Heat Vision Mark Ruffalo Hasn't Seen a 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day' Script Yet but "Can't Wait to Work With" Jon Bernthal's Punisher Venice Film Festival Venice Days Top Prize Awarded to Amir Azizi's 'Inside Amir' Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery Hamptons Film Fest Sets Sydney Sweeney Honor, World Premiere of 'Merrily We Roll Along' as Closing Night Film (Exclusive)