Los Angeles, CA – “A Quiet Place: Day One” has become a box office sensation, raking in an impressive $53 million in its opening weekend in the United States. The prequel to Paramount’s popular horror series has surpassed its predecessors, “A Quiet Place” and “A Quiet Place Part II,” with the biggest debut in the franchise.

Despite the absence of John Krasinski and Emily Blunt, who directed and starred in the first two films, “A Quiet Place: Day One” has been well-received by audiences and critics alike. Led by Lupita Nyong’o and Joseph Quinn, the film takes viewers back to the early stages of a New York City alien invasion, where the population is forced into hiding from menacing sound-hunting creatures.

With a production cost of $67 million, “A Quiet Place: Day One” is on track to be a success in its theatrical run, garnering an 84% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a B+ on CinemaScore. This achievement is noteworthy, especially in comparison to another film released over the weekend, Kevin Costner’s “Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1,” which has struggled at the box office with only $11 million in ticket sales from 4,000 theaters.

Costner’s ambitious project, which he reportedly funded with $38 million of his own money, has faced criticism for feeling more like a mini-series than a feature film. Despite high hopes for support from “Yellowstone” fans, negative reviews and word-of-mouth have hindered the film’s success, raising doubts about the upcoming sequel, “Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2.”

While “A Quiet Place: Day One” had a strong debut, it was overshadowed by Disney and Pixar’s “Inside Out 2,” which continues to dominate the box office with $57 million in its third weekend. With a total of $1.015 billion globally, “Inside Out 2” has become the first film of 2024 to reach the coveted $1 billion mark, solidifying its position as the highest-grossing movie of the year.

The contrasting performances of “A Quiet Place: Day One” and “Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1” highlight the unpredictable nature of the film industry, where audience reception can greatly impact a film’s success. As the box office landscape continues to evolve, filmmakers and studios must navigate the ever-changing preferences of moviegoers to secure their place in the competitive market.