“Exorcist: Believer seized the top spot at the weekend box office, raking in an estimated $27.2 million from 3,663 theaters domestically, though falling slightly short of expectations for Universal, who acquired rights for $400 million. The film also made $17.9 million overseas, for a global debut of $45.1 million. This horror flick, directed by David Gordon Green, coincides with the 50th anniversary of the original ‘Exorcist’ release, aiming to revive the franchise.

Taylor Swift’s ‘The Eras Tour’ prompted Believer to move up its release by a week, a last-minute change that posed challenges. Blumhouse, Morgan Creek, and Universal collaborated on this $30 million production, planning two more installments.

Critics were divided, with a 23 percent Rotten Tomatoes score, but audiences gave it a ‘C’ CinemaScore. The saturated horror market also featured ‘Saw X’ and ‘The Nun II,’ while ‘PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie’ appealed to families.

In the top five, ‘The Creator’ dropped 57 percent, ‘The Blind’ earned $3.1 million, and Disney’s ‘Hocus Pocus’ re-release made the list with $1.5 million. On the specialty front, ‘Dicks: The Musical’ shined with a high location average, and other films like ‘The Royal Hotel’ and ‘She Came to Me’ also made their debuts.”