In 2026, we’ve seen several low-budget horror movies that made an impact on the box office. As an example, Markiplier’s Iron Lung ($50 million), based on Box Office Mojo, delivered over 17 times its budget, while Ian Tuason’s Undertone ($21.3 million), based on Box Office Mojo, earned over a staggering 40 times its budget. Along with the upcoming movies – Obsession and Backrooms, which will probably be released in theaters later this month, genre fans can even get to see one other supernatural horror film titled Passenger, which is slated for a theatrical release within the U.S. on May 22, 2026.
In response to a recent projection by Box Office Pro, the Paramount release is tracking to earn between $7 million and $10 million in North America during its opening weekend (May 22-24). Let’s take a have a look at the way it compares to the domestic debuts of the highest five highest-grossing horror movies in North America released in 2026.
Top 5 Highest-Grossing Horror Movies of 2026 – Domestic Opening Weekends
On the time of writing, these are the 12 months’s top five highest-grossing horror movies on the domestic box office, together with their opening weekend earnings, per Box Office Mojo data.
- Scream 7: $63.6 million
- Send Help: $19.1 million
- Iron Lung: $17.8 million
- Primate: $11.2 million
- 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple: $12.5 million
What The Numbers Indicate
Based on the above domestic opening weekend figures, the horror film that’s closest to Passenger’s projected $7-10 million range is Primate ($11.2 million). The survival horror film went on to earn $25.6 million in North America, indicating a multiplier of roughly 2.29x.
Assuming Passenger performs similarly on the domestic box office, it could earn between $16 million and $23 million in North America using the identical domestic multiplier. Nonetheless, the film’s actual theatrical performance would depend upon word-of-mouth, its opening weekend haul, and the way strongly it holds within the weeks following its release.
What’s Passenger All About?
Directed by Norwegian filmmaker André Øvredal, the film follows a young couple whose road adventure takes a terrifying turn once they witness a brutal accident. Soon after, they’re pursued by a relentless demonic stalker. It features Jacob Scipio, Lou Llobell, and Melissa Leo.
Passenger – Official Trailer
Stay tuned to Koimoi for more box office updates and stories.
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