Jaws dropped in disbelief across Hollywood when The Conjuring: Last Rites opened to a record-smashing $84 million domestically over the Sept. 5-7 weekend, instead of an expected $35 million-plus. Put another way, the New Line and Warner Bros. horror pic earned nearly as much in its debut, if not more, than the previous eight titles in the Conjuring Universe grossed in their entire runs.

It gets better. Overseas, Last Rites started off with a far better-than-expected $110 million for a worldwide debut of $194 million — a record for a horror film — in the latest win for Warner Bros. Pictures co-chairs Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy , who only six or seven months ago found themselves being intensely criticized after several high-profile misses.

Jaws dropped in disbelief acros

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