In an exciting turn of events, Warner Bros is celebrating its seventh number one box office opening with the chilling release of 'The Conjuring: Last Rites'. This marks an incredible milestone as it's the studio's fourth consecutive number one debut for a horror film.

Early reports from Thursday night previews, which began at 3 PM, indicate that the film is on track to rake in a heavenly $7 million to $8 million. If these projections hold true, this would set a new record for previews within the Conjuring franchise, sending the highly-anticipated, R-rated horror flick directed by Michael Chaves deep into a projected $40 million-plus opening weekend.

To put this into perspective, 'Last Rites' is already outperforming past horror films like 'Sinners' ($4.7M), 'Final Destination Bloodlines' ($5.5M), and 'The Nun' ($5.4M). Chaves, who also directed 'The Nun II', saw that film earn only $3.1 million in previews. For context, both 'Final Destination Bloodlines' and 'The Nun' went on to have domestic openings exceeding $50 million, with 'The Nun' still holding the title for the largest domestic debut in the Conjuring series at $53.8 million.

The entire Conjuring universe, which includes the core films along with spinoffs like 'Annabelle', has grossed a staggering $2.3 billion globally, solidifying its status as the highest-grossing horror franchise of all time.

Critics have been less than kind to 'Last Rites', currently sitting at a 58% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which isn't far off from the 56% of its predecessor, 'The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It'. The latter was an unusual release during the pandemic, debuting simultaneously on HBO Max, which likely hampered its box office potential—opening weekend earnings of $24.1 million ultimately leading to a total of $65.6 million domestically and $206 million worldwide.

Earlier this year, Warner Bros enjoyed success with 'Final Destination Bloodlines', which launched with a franchise record of $51.6 million. That film has since become the top-grossing entry in its series, amassing over $138 million in the U.S. and $301 million globally. The box office is undoubtedly brimming with anticipation as 'The Conjuring: Last Rites' continues to unfold its eerie narrative.