It’s been an incredible year for the horror genre so far. Although August has been a lighter month for theatrical releases, an old genre friend, Esther, has returned to liven up the box office in Orphan: First Kill. The prequel to the 2009 cult classic film was released over the weekend on Paramount+ and every digital service imaginable, but Paramount also gave the film a small theatrical release. In just 498 theaters, First Kill has made an impressive $1.67 million in its opening bloodthirsty weekend.
While that might seem like a small number, it' would not be fair to compare this prequel to many of the major horror releases or its shocking first film. Like most modern horror films, the original Orphan received a full theatrical release in 3743 theaters and made $12.8 million in its opening weekend. It’s hard to believe that First Kill wouldn’t at least have matched that number if it had received a full theatrical release. Especially given the popularity of the original. Orphan would go on to make $77.9 million and First Kill currently sits at $2.19 million at the worldwide box office. This total doesn’t include what the prequel made on home rental services like VUDU.
There are many things that can be taken away from these numbers. Mainly the fact that, even though you could watch this film in the comfort of your own home, audiences were willing to see this kill-happy horror story in theaters. Esther is arguably on the Mount Rushmore of modern horror villains and this box office result should at least tell you the high quality of the first film. However, First Kill was also helped by the fact that it has gotten great word-of-mouth. As it stands right now, this delightfully entertaining prequel has been better received and reviewed than the original Orphan.
First Kill did the impossible. It took the winning formula of the first film and completely turned it on its head. Orphan is most well known for its insanely memorable twist and, while this prequel doesn’t top what was done in that film, it presents another satisfyingly crazy twist that will make you sick to your stomach. This film wasn’t just your average horror sequel that was only made to be a cash grab, it actually gave Esther a worthy story to kill in. This prequel embraced the fun campy nature of the original, doubled the body count with some great sequences of suspense, and it chillingly recontextualizes the events of Orphan. However, the icing on this sweet horror cake is Isabelle Fuhrman who once again gives another jaw-dropping and scary performance as Esther.
This is all reflected in First Kill’s box office and makes you wonder if Paramount is kicking themselves for making this a hybrid release. Esther still has a willing audience. She isn't a moneymaker like Ghostface or Michael Myers, but she’s quite nearly as terrifying as those icons. It will be interesting to see how First Kill performs in the coming weeks and, If an Orphan 3 happens, hopefully, Paramount will see Esther’s future box office potential. For now, you can celebrate Esther’s gleefully deranged return by watching Orphan: First Kill in theaters, on Paramount+, or wherever you buy your digital movies.
Check out the trailer for First Kill below: