Movie with Ukrainian women breaks box office record in Hollywood: video
23 September 2025 10:24
The Hollywood horror film The Conjuring: Last Rites, starring Vera and Taisa Farmiga, has set a historic box office record. The actresses with Ukrainian roots have been emphasizing their love for their ancestral homeland for many years, and now their participation in the cult franchise coincides with a resounding success at the global box office. This was reported by "Komersant Ukrainian" with reference to Variety.
“The Conjuring 4: The Last Rites is an American horror film directed by Michael Chavez. The film stars Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, who have returned to their roles as paranormal researchers Ed and Lorraine Warren.
Ukrainian-born Hollywood actress Vera Farmiga has built a successful career in Hollywood, but has repeatedly reminded us of her Ukrainian roots. Born in the United States, she spoke only Ukrainian until she was six years old. She was trained in Plast, danced in the Sizokryli ensemble, and even toured Ukraine.
Taissa Farmiga is the younger sister of Hollywood actress and director Vera Farmiga.
At first, Taisse did not want to become an actress, but her older sister Vera persuaded her to star in her directorial debut, Heaven and Earth. After seeing the result, Taissa decided to continue her acting career. The actress is known for the television series American Horror Story.
They were born in the United States to Ukrainian immigrants. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, both have been actively supporting Ukraine.
Record-breaking grosses
In the first weekend of its release, The Conjuring: Last Rites grossed $194 million worldwide, more than the previous genre record holder, It (2017), which started with $190 million. Warner Bros. and New Line did not even expect such a result: despite a relatively modest budget of 50-55 million, the film has already become a commercial triumph.
The film’s total gross has exceeded $350 million, and this is not the final figure, as the distribution is still in progress.
Success on a global scale
On the international market, The Conjuring: Last Rites also set a record with $110 million in its first weekend. Before that, the best result outside the US was It: Chapter Two (92 million).
In the US, the film started with 84 million, which was the third best result for the horror genre after It and It 2.
What the movie is about
The ninth installment of the cult franchise was directed by Michael Chavez. In the story, paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) are trying to save their family from a demonic presence. The series is once again produced by the creator of the universe, James Wan and Peter Saffran.
The Conjuring franchise, which also includes spin-offs (Annabelle, The Nun), has already earned more than $2.3 billion and remains the highest-grossing horror series in history.
Warner Bros. is riding a wave of success
For Warner Bros. this is another step towards a record – the studio became the first to release seven films in a row with a result above 40 million on the opening weekend.
After unsuccessful releases like Joker: Folie a Deux or Mickey 17, the company regained the lead with the hits Minecraft: The Movie, Superman, Final Destination Bloodlines, and others.
