So far, this year has been fantastic for scary stories. Although there have been fewer movies in theatres in August, the return of Esther in Orphan: First Kill has helped to boost ticket sales. Paramount also granted the picture a limited theatrical release in addition to releasing it on Paramount+ and every digital service known to man over the weekend. First Kill opened to an amazing $1.67 million from only 498 locations on its first savage weekend. While it may not seem like a lot, it’s important to remember that comparing this prequel to the original, startling horror picture would be unfair. Orphan, like other current horror films, was released in cinemas all over the world, with the original version playing in 3,743 locations and grossing $12.8 million in its first weekend.
It is unlikely that First Kill wouldn’t have at least equalled that figure if it had had a proper theatrical release. Even more so, considering the success of the first. First Kill has only made $2.19 million thus far, whereas the astronomical earnings of Orphan reached $77.9 million. Money generated by the prequel on home rental platforms like VUDU is not included in this tally. Quite a bit may be inferred from these figures. Mainly, the fact that viewers were eager to witness this bloodthirsty horror narrative in cinemas despite the ease with which it could be viewed at home. If the original film’s box office success is any indication, Esther deserves a spot on the modern horror villains’ Mount Rushmore.
Nonetheless, First Kill benefited from excellent word of mouth as well. As things stand, the critical reception of this fabulously hilarious prequel has been higher than that of the original Orphan. In other words, First Kill managed to pull off the seemingly impossible. The successful formula from the original movie was entirely inverted. Even while it doesn’t top what was done in the original Orphan, its prequel does deliver another satisfyingly wild twist that will leave you sick to your stomach. Rather than being a lazy cash grab like most horror sequels, this one really provided Esther an interesting plot to murder her way through.
It doubled the corpse count with some fantastic suspense moments, and it put the events of the original “Orphan” in a chillingly different setting. However, Isabelle Fuhrman’s portrayal of Esther, which is consistently shocking and terrifying, is the cherry on top of this deliciously terrifying cake. And you have to wonder whether Paramount is regretting giving this hybrid distribution the green light, since it shows in First Kill’s box office. Esther can always count on an attentive crowd. She doesn’t bring in the big bucks like Ghostface or Michael Myers, but she’s almost as scary. The success of First Kill in the following weeks will be very telling, and if Orphan 3 is made, here’s hoping Paramount recognises Esther’s future box office potential. For the time being, you may rejoice in Esther’s deliriously insane comeback by seeing Orphan: First Kill in cinemas, on Paramount+, or anywhere you purchase digital movies.