Creepy Clown Lures Filmgoers, Making ‘It’ a Record Hit
- Movie based on Stephen King story has $123.4 million in sales
- Debut more than doubles previous record for September opening
Pennywise, the central villain, in the horror thriller 'IT.'
Source: Warner Bros.“It,” based on the Stephen King horror story, topped the box office in a record-breaking debut for a September release, a sign of hope for an industry reeling from its worst summer in more than a decade.
Viral marketing featuring a creepy clown and a red balloon helped drive excitement around “It,” which collected $123.4 million in sales in U.S. and Canadian theaters for distributor Warner Bros., the studio said in an email Monday. The total beat estimates by a wide margin and also marks the biggest fall release on record. The other new release of the weekend, romantic comedy “Home Again,” placed second with $8.6 million.