Warner Bros.’ “The Conjuring: Last Rites” scared up a commanding No. 1 debut at the U.K. and Ireland box office, grossing £6.8 million ($9.1 million), according to Comscore. The latest entry in the supernatural horror franchise opened well ahead of all competition and is poised to drive strong late-summer business.

Multiplex chain Vue Cinema founder and CEO Tim Richards said: “The remarkable success of ‘The Conjuring: Last Rites’ last weekend, grossing $187 million globally and delivering the third largest horror opening ever in the UK and Ireland with £6.8 million, is the latest sign of the horror genre’s phenomenal hold on audiences this year, joining hits like ‘Weapons,’ ‘Final Destination: Bloodlines’ and ‘Sinners.’ When a film delivers both scares and a great story, audiences turn out in huge numbers because there is simply no substitute for the thrill of horror on the big screen. Sharing every shock and scream together with family or friends is what makes cinemagoing so exciting and appealing, especially, as we’re seeing, for younger audiences.”

In second place, Disney’s “The Roses” $2 million in its sophomore session, lifting its total to $7.2 million. Warner Bros.’ “Weapons” held at No. 3 with $506,523 for $15.1 million overall. Disney title “Freakier Friday” followed at No. 4, earning $480,572 for a cumulative $11 million. Universal’s “The Bad Guys 2” rounded out the top five, adding $447,383 and moving its total to $17.1 million.

Sony’s crime drama “Caught Stealing” came in sixth with $411,805, reaching $1.6 million after two weeks. At No. 7, Malayalam-language superhero film “Lokah Chapter One: Chandra” from Magic Rays grossed $301,758 to climb to $1.1 million. Disney’s “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” was eighth with $289,409, its total now at $32 million.

National Theatre event cinema release “Inter Alia – NT Live 2025” landed in ninth place, drawing $254,959 for a cumulative $1.3 million. Universal’s new entry “Honey Don’t!” rounded out the top 10 on $228,259.

Coming up, anime powerhouse “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba Infinity Castle” arrives in U.K. and Ireland cinemas this week via Sony, expected to draw strong fan turnout. Universal counters with franchise closer “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale,” aiming to bring period-drama audiences back to the big screen.

Other wide titles include Lionsgate UK’s “The Long Walk,” a dystopian thriller directed by Francis Lawrence and led by Cooper Hoffman, David Jonsson and Mark Hamill, while Sony also unleashes “Spinal Tap II: The End Continues,” continuing the cult rock saga. Dreamz Entertainment adds the Telugu-language Indian horror feature “Kishkindhapuri” to the mix.

Documentary and specialist releases broaden the slate: Cosmic Cat’s timely “From Ground Zero: Stories From Gaza” rolls out across 100-plus sites; MetFilm Distribution presents Berlinale-winning “Holding Liat”; Curzon offers Berlinale-winning drama “Deaf”; Dogwoof releases World Porridge Championships documentary “The Golden Spurtle”; BFI Distribution handles Jan-Ole Gerster’s thriller “Islands”; and MusicFilmNetwork bows music documentary “To Be Frank,” spotlighting Frank Benbini and Ali Campbell.

Additional entries include Reliance Entertainment’s cross-cultural Bollywood romance “Love In Vietnam,” Bakrania Media’s action thriller “Mirai” and romcom “Aabeer Gulaal,” headlined by Pakistani superstar Fawad Khan, Jade Films’ cryptozoology focused documentary “My Bigfoot Life,” Moviegoers Entertainment’s “Homebound,” which debuted at Cannes earlier this year, Studiocanal’s restoration of 1937 masterpiece “Pepe Le Moko,” and Miracle Comms’ family-friendly “Dogs at the Opera.”