The first half of 2024 was not as kind to horror at the box office as it has been in recent years. In the pandemic era, horror had been arguably the most reliable genre around, particularly in 2022 and 2023. It wasn't until the blockbuster opening barely posted by "A Quiet Place: Day One" that a genre flick truly broke out this year. The question is, can Neon keep the hot streak alive when director Oz Perkins' "Longlegs" hits theaters? Hailed as one of the scariest movies of the year with near-universal praise from critics, it is certainly well positioned to do so, but it is going to be all about managing expectations.

It's important to understand that this was never going to be the kind of movie to make $20 million on opening weekend. It's a small movie hoping to do well for itself against a small budget, most likely in the $10 million range.