Full Breakdown
Scary Movie Leads Opening-Day Previews Over Masters of the Universe
6/5/2026, 9:12:33 PM
Opening-Day Preview Figures
Paramount-Miramax’s reboot of the “Scary Movie” franchise generated an estimated $7.5 million in preview ticket sales after its 2 p.m. start today. Amazon MGM Studios’ $170 million adaptation of Mattel’s “Masters of the Universe” recorded roughly $4 million in previews, also beginning at 2 p.m. The disparity places “Scary Movie” ahead of its family-oriented counterpart by nearly double the preview revenue.
Reviving 1980s Franchises: Background & Context
Both releases are part of a broader trend of updating 1980s intellectual property for contemporary audiences. “Scary Movie” returns as a comedy reboot directed by Michael Tiddes and featuring Anna Faris, Regina Hall, Marlon Wayans and Shawn Wayans, with a reported $30 million production budget. “Masters of the Universe,” directed by Travis Knight, adapts the classic toy line and animated series, starring Nicholas Galitzine, Camila Mendes, Idris Elba, Jared Leto and Alison Brie. The films entered a summer market that recently saw franchise benchmarks such as “Scream 7” ($7.8 million previews) and “Bad Boys for Life” ($5.875 million previews) for R-rated titles, and family-oriented releases like “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” ($4.5 million) and “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” ($4.7 million).
Official Statements & Projections
Industry estimates had placed the “Scary Movie” opening at $40 million-$45 million domestically, reflecting confidence in the comedy’s brand recognition. No explicit opening-weekend projection was provided for “Masters of the Universe.” The film’s $170 million production budget underscores its high-cost nature. Early critical aggregation shows the “Scary Movie” reboot at 29 % on Rotten Tomatoes, while “Masters of the Universe” holds a 71 % certified-fresh rating.
Criticism & Opposition
Critical reception for the “Scary Movie” reboot is notably low, with a 29 % Rotten Tomatoes score indicating widespread disapproval among reviewers. The article characterizes this response as critics “not getting the movie,” highlighting a disconnect between critical assessment and audience enjoyment.
Audience Reception & Scores
Audience polling diverges sharply from critic metrics. “Scary Movie” enjoys a 68 % audience score, suggesting stronger viewer approval despite critical skepticism. “Masters of the Universe” records an 89 % audience rating, positioning it as a well-received family offering.
Comparative Performance with Recent Franchise Releases
The $7.5 million preview for “Scary Movie” is higher than the preview figures cited for recent R-rated comedy releases and aligns closely with the $7.8 million preview for “Scream 7.” In contrast, the $4 million preview for “Masters of the Universe” mirrors the preview earnings of recent PG-13 franchise entries such as “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” and “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.” These figures illustrate separate market segments: a comedy audience and a family-film audience.
Implications for the Weekend Box Office Landscape
The preview gap places “Scary Movie” as the film with the higher preview revenue for today’s box office, while “Masters of the Universe” is positioned for a potential second-place finish behind other releases such as “The Amazing Digital Circus” and A24’s “Backrooms.” The early figures provide a quantitative baseline for tracking each film’s performance through the weekend.
