Horror hit 'Obsession' achieves box office miracle, confirmed for Taiwan release

The critically acclaimed horror film 'Obsession' (愛你致死不渝) has defied expectations, achieving a surprising box office phenomenon in North America. The movie not only claimed the top spot in its opening weekend but also demonstrated remarkable resilience, with consecutive weekly box office growth for three weeks, a rare feat in the current film market.

'Obsession' debuted with an impressive $17.85 million in its opening weekend, securing the No. 1 position among new releases. Its success was fueled by strong word-of-mouth, earning an exceptional A-minus CinemaScore from audiences and a 95% "fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with a 94% audience score. This critical and audience acclaim translated into sustained commercial success.

In its second week, the film grossed an additional $23.96 million, marking a rare post-debut week-over-week increase for a horror film. This upward trend continued into its third week, where it earned $27.39 million, holding strong against new releases and climbing back to the second position at the box office. This sustained performance pushed its cumulative North American gross past the $100 million mark.

This impressive box office run makes 'Obsession' one of the year's biggest commercial dark horses. According to distributor Focus Features, it is the first film since 1982's 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial' to achieve consecutive box office growth in its second and third weeks during a non-holiday release period, a span of 44 years. With a production budget of just $1 million, the film's current worldwide gross of $161 million represents an extraordinary return on investment, exceeding 160 times its production cost. This success underscores the potent market appeal of low-to-mid-budget horror films.