A Recent Surprise Hit Makes Me Think Sam Raimi’s New Horror Thriller Could Be A Box Office Smash

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As a big fan of Sam Raimi, I was so excited to hear he was directing again! His new movie, Send Help, starring Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien, seems like a perfect blend of his skills – it’s a really intense survival thriller with some genuinely creepy horror elements. And everyone who’s seen it so far is absolutely loving it!

Thrillers featuring big-name actors used to be a common draw at movie theaters, but they’ve become less popular as they haven’t been as profitable lately. Simple horror films have taken their place, often because they’re less expensive to produce and tend to stay in the public conversation longer.

A highly successful R-rated thriller released in late 2025 earned over $300 million, suggesting audiences are now interested in this type of movie. While Sam Raimi’s new film is a bit more focused on horror, its potential for financial success looks similar to that recent hit.

The Housemaid Shares A Lot Of Features With Send Help

Paul Feig’s movie version of Freida McFadden’s thriller, The Housemaid, came out just before Christmas 2025 and did reasonably well in theaters. While it wasn’t expected to be a huge hit because it was released at the same time as James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash, it still earned $19 million during its opening weekend.

Despite mixed reviews, The Housemaid continued to perform well in theaters both in the US and internationally, thanks to the appeal of its stars, Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried, the book it’s based on, and a slow period for competing films. It maintained strong numbers, earning almost as much in its second weekend as it did in its first, and then experiencing a modest drop of only 25% in its third. So far, the film has earned $305.4 million worldwide, which is a significant return on its $35 million budget.

Like the hit movie The Housemaid, Send Help could also find success. Both films are thrilling and psychologically intense, and each features two well-known stars – McAdams and O’Brien, in the case of Send Help. Both movies share a playfully dark energy, creating suspense as the main characters engage in a tense, competitive struggle.

Although Send Help‘s scarier content might cause it to lose some fans of The Housemaid, it’s expected to attract a strong horror audience of its own. While it likely won’t earn as much at the box office as The Housemaid – especially because it’s releasing in January/February – Send Help should easily make a significant profit on its $40 million production cost.

Send Help Should Have Decent Legs At The Box Office

The new movie Send Help is expected to be the weekend’s biggest box office hit, likely earning between $12 and $17 million. Now, the key will be whether it can maintain that success beyond its opening weekend – something the movie The Housemaid did well. Most films see a 40-50% drop in ticket sales after the first weekend, so anything better than that would be a good sign for Send Help.

I was so impressed that The Housemaid only dropped a tiny bit in its second week – just 4%! It’s a high bar, but I’m really hopeful Send Help can do well too. The reviews from both critics and audiences are amazing, which should mean lots of people talking about it online and recommending it. Plus, it’s directed by Sam Raimi, and everyone knows how great his movies are, so that’s a huge boost!

With little competition at the box office for the next couple of weeks, Send Help has a good opportunity to attract thriller fans. While some viewers might check out Whistle or The Strangers: Chapter 3 soon, Send Help will likely have about two weeks to itself before Crime 101 and Wuthering Heights arrive in theaters around Valentine’s Day.

While Send Help probably won’t match the huge success of The Housemaid, it shares enough similarities that it should enjoy a similar long-term run in theaters. Early buzz is strong, with great reviews spreading quickly, so I predict it will perform better than expected during its opening weekend.

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2026-01-29 07:28