Warner Bros.’ “The Conjuring: Last Rites” scared up a commanding No. 1 debut at the U.K. and Ireland box office, grossing £6.8 million ($9.1 million), according to Comscore. The latest entry in the supernatural horror franchise opened well ahead of all competition and is poised to drive strong late-summer business.
Multiplex chain Vue Cinema founder and CEO Tim Richards said: “The remarkable success of ‘The Conjuring: Last Rites’ last weekend, grossing $187 million globally and delivering the third largest horror opening ever in the UK and Ireland with £6.8 million, is the latest sign of the horror genre’s phenomenal hold on audiences this year, joining hits like ‘Weapons,’ ‘Final Destination: Bloodlines’ and ‘Sinners.’ When a film delivers both scares and a great story, audiences turn out in huge numbers because there is simply no substitute for the thrill of horror on the big screen. Sharing every shock and scream together with family or…