Universal scarefest 'Halloween Ends' scored a strong start this weekend, topping the North American box office with an estimated take of $41.3 million, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported Sunday.

The movie, ostensibly the last in a long string of profitable "Halloween" films, again stars Jamie Lee Curtis in a tale replete with throat-slashing, choking, fatal falls and a mysterious masked sewer-dweller.&nbsp;

Analysts had predicted a somewhat higher number: $50 million or so. But given the film's simultaneous release on the Peacock streaming service and its production cost of just $30 million, its take was "excellent," said David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research.

The weeks before Halloween always smile on horror films -- and this weekend another gruesome film, Paramount's "Smile," placed second at $12.4 million. Sosie Bacon stars as a therapist whose grasp on reality is shaken by a horrifying event.

In third place for the Friday-through-Sunday period, down one spot from its release last weekend, was Sony's live action/computer-animated musical comedy "Lyle, Lyle Crocodile," at $7.4 million. Javier Bardem, Shawn Mendes and Constance Wu star.

Another Sony film, history-inspired "The Woman King," held tight at fourth place, with $3.7 million in ticket sales. Viola Davis stars as the leader of an all-female army of African warriors.

And in fifth, dropping two spots, was 20th Century's comedy thriller "Amsterdam," at $2.9 million. It stars Christian Bale, Margot Robbie and John David Washington.

Rounding out the top 10 were:

"Don't Worry Darling" ($2.2 million)

"Barbarian" ($1.4 million)

"Bros" ($920,000)

"Terrifier 2" ($850,000)

"Top Gun: Maverick" ($685,000)&nbsp;&nbsp;

Universal scarefest 'Halloween Ends' scored a strong start this weekend, topping the North American box office with an estimated take of $41.3 million, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported Sunday.

Universal scarefest 'Halloween Ends' scored a strong start this weekend, topping the North American box office with an estimated take of $41.3 million, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported Sunday. The movie, ostensibly the last in a long string of profitable "Halloween" films, again stars Jamie Lee Curtis in a tale replete with throat-slashing, choking, fatal falls and a mysterious masked sewer-dweller. Analysts had predicted a somewhat higher number: $50 million or so. But given the film's simultaneous release on the Peacock streaming service and its production cost of just $30 million, its take was "excellent," said David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research. The weeks before Halloween always smile on horror films -- and this weekend another gruesome film, Paramount's "Smile," placed second at $12.4 million. Sosie Bacon stars as a therapist whose grasp on reality is shaken by a horrifying event. In third place for the Friday-through-Sunday period, down one spot from its release last weekend, was Sony's live action/computer-animated musical comedy "Lyle, Lyle Crocodile," at $7.4 million. Javier Bardem, Shawn Mendes and Constance Wu star. Another Sony film, history-inspired "The Woman King," held tight at fourth place, with $3.7 million in ticket sales. Viola Davis stars as the leader of an all-female army of African warriors. And in fifth, dropping two spots, was 20th Century's comedy thriller "Amsterdam," at $2.9 million. It stars Christian Bale, Margot Robbie and John David Washington. Rounding out the top 10 were: "Don't Worry Darling" ($2.2 million) "Barbarian" ($1.4 million) "Bros" ($920,000) "Terrifier 2" ($850,000) "Top Gun: Maverick" ($685,000)

'Halloween Ends' starts strong, topping North America box office

'Halloween Ends', the conclusion to the 'Halloween' sequel trilogy that began with 2018's 'Halloween', is all set to scare up a cool box office opening of $43 million in its domestic market, reported Deadline. The film earned $5.4 million in Thursday previews for a first-day total of $20 million. 'Halloween Ends' reportedly had a production budget of $20 million, so that is quite impressive. The film together Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) and Michael Myers or the Shape (Nick Castle) in a final confrontation. They have been at it since the first film in the franchise, 'Halloween', in 1978. &nbsp;The 2018 film ignored all the intervening films and was a direct sequel to the original.

The film is directed by David Gordon Green and written by Green, Danny McBride, Paul Brad Logan, and Chris Bernier. &nbsp;James Jude Courtney, Andi Matichak, Will Patton, Rohan Campbell, and Kyle Richards were also in the film's cast.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-halloween-ends-movie-review-a-bleak-engrossing-conclusion-that-will-make-you-squirm-with-discomfort-525339">'Halloween Ends' movie review: A bleak, engrossing conclusion that will make you squirm with discomfort</a>

The official synopsis of the film reads, "Final Girl. Final Face-Off. Final Trailer. After 45 years, the most acclaimed, revered horror franchise in film history reaches its epic, terrifying conclusion as Laurie Strode faces off for the last time against the embodiment of evil, Michael Myers, in a final confrontation unlike any captured on-screen before. Only one of them will survive."

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/s0vtbxLa-N8" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Wion's review of the film was positive. It read, "'Halloween Ends' is leagues ahead of your run-of-the-mill slasher fare and asks questions that will make you squirm with discomfort. It is not an easy watch, and as I said above, it will divide audiences (it has already divided critics) right down in the middle. 'Halloween Ends' has dark, dark things to say about us. Michael Myers, after all, is a product of our society. He is, of course, much more than that, and his evil is unknowable like Heath Ledger's Joker in 'The Dark Knight'. But Laurie knows the evil she herself is capable of, and looks within herself to gauge whether she became a monster not too different from the man she has been fighting her whole life."

For the most part, however, the film was panned by critics. On the review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a dismal score of 39 per cent. The critical consensus reads, "Halloween Ends -- for now, anyway -- with a frequently befuddling installment that's stabbed, slashed, and beaten by a series of frustrating missed opportunities."

'Halloween Ends', the conclusion to the 'Halloween' sequel trilogy that began with 2018's 'Halloween', is all set to scare up a cool box office opening of $43 million in its domestic market, reported Deadline.

'Halloween Ends', the conclusion to the 'Halloween' sequel trilogy that began with 2018's 'Halloween', is all set to scare up a cool box office opening of $43 million in its domestic market, reported Deadline. The film earned $5.4 million in Thursday previews for a first-day total of $20 million. 'Halloween Ends' reportedly had a production budget of $20 million, so that is quite impressive. The film together Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) and Michael Myers or the Shape (Nick Castle) in a final confrontation. They have been at it since the first film in the franchise, 'Halloween', in 1978. The 2018 film ignored all the intervening films and was a direct sequel to the original. The film is directed by David Gordon Green and written by Green, Danny McBride, Paul Brad Logan, and Chris Bernier. James Jude Courtney, Andi Matichak, Will Patton, Rohan Campbell, and Kyle Richards were also in the film's cast. Also Read: 'Halloween Ends' movie review: A bleak, engrossing conclusion that will make you squirm with discomfort The official synopsis of the film reads, "Final Girl. Final Face-Off. Final Trailer. After 45 years, the most acclaimed, revered horror franchise in film history reaches its epic, terrifying conclusion as Laurie Strode faces off for the last time against the embodiment of evil, Michael Myers, in a final confrontation unlike any captured on-screen before. Only one of them will survive." Wion's review of the film was positive. It read, "'Halloween Ends' is leagues ahead of your run-of-the-mill slasher fare and asks questions that will make you squirm with discomfort. It is not an easy watch, and as I said above, it will divide audiences (it has already divided critics) right down in the middle. 'Halloween Ends' has dark, dark things to say about us. Michael Myers, after all, is a product of our society. He is, of course, much more than that, and his evil is unknowable like Heath Ledger's Joker in 'The Dark Knight'. But Laurie knows the evil she herself is capable of, and looks within herself to gauge whether she became a monster not too different from the man she has been fighting her whole life." For the most part, however, the film was panned by critics. On the review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a dismal score of 39 per cent. The critical consensus reads, "Halloween Ends -- for now, anyway -- with a frequently befuddling installment that's stabbed, slashed, and beaten by a series of frustrating missed opportunities."

'Halloween Ends' heading for a strong $43 million opening weekend

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'Halloween Ends' starts strong, topping North America box office

'Halloween Ends' heading for a strong $43 million opening weekend