Audience Demand for Extreme Horror Pays Off as “The Nun II” Rakes in $13M on Opening Day

In a surprising turn of events, it’s not the director, but the audience that pushed the boundaries for the much-anticipated film, “The Nun II.” Director Michael Chaves revealed that fans clamored for a more extreme version of the movie, craving additional violence and gore.

“People wanted more violence,” Chaves shared with Entertainment Weekly, chuckling at the unexpected demand. “There was already a good degree of violence and gore in the movie, but people wanted more of it. So, we did a little bit of additional photography and we ramped that up. It just goes to show how audiences are always changing, evolving. Even in the earliest version, it was more [violent] than what was in your traditional Conjuring movie. I think horror audiences have been on this journey, this horror renaissance, where they’ve seen a lot of horror movies, they’ve seen a lot of violence. It’s something they wanted more of, and we gladly gave it.”

The extra effort seems to have paid off handsomely. “The Nun II” made an estimated $13 million on its opening day, hinting at a promising $31 million to $34 million opening weekend across 3,728 theaters. These figures have even surpassed initial projections and have not been confirmed by Warner Bros.

Chaves, no stranger to the horror genre, previously directed “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It” and “The Curse of La Llorona” in addition to “The Nun II” within the past five years.

Penned by Akela Cooper, “The Nun II” delves into the year 1956, following the murder of a priest. The sequel centers around Sister Irene (Farmiga) as she confronts the demonic presence of Valak, portrayed by Bonnie Aarons. Jonas Bloquet reprises his role as Maurice, and new cast members include Reid, starring alongside Farmiga as a fresh character, along with Katelyn Rose Downey as Sophie and Anna Popplewell as Marcella.