Sue Kroll, President Worldwide Marketing and Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures announced that New Line Cinema’s horror thriller “IT” has surpassed $500 million at the worldwide box office today, after less than three weeks in release. The critically acclaimed blockbuster is now the highest-grossing horror film ever, breaking the 44-year record belonging to “The Exorcist,” one of the longest-held records in cinema history.
“Crossing $500 million is rarified air for any film, but for a horror film it is history-making, and we could not be prouder. The filmmakers and cast did more than make a box office hit; they created a communal, must-see moviegoing event that has reverberated around the globe and is still going strong. We congratulate Andy Muschietti, the extraordinary producing team, and everyone involved in ‘IT’ on reaching this amazing milestone.” Kroll commented.
Kroll went on to explain that internationally, “IT” has terrified a growing global audience as the film continues to roll out in major markets. In its initial 46-territory release, the feature exceeded several benchmarks in countries from the UK to Russia, Brazil, Spain, Poland and Australia, to name a few. Among the records the film has broken, “IT” scored the biggest opening weekend ever for a horror film in more than 30 markets, including the UK, Russia, Brazil, Mexico and Australia. In 17 of those territories, including the UK, Russia and Australia, “IT” has already become the top-grossing horror film of all time, and still counting. Anticipation is also building in several markets where the film is yet to open, including Germany, Italy and Japan.