‘Halloween Ends’ wins box office but renews streaming debate

By LINDSEY BAHR
AP Film Writer

No matter how you look at the numbers, “Halloween Ends” had a good opening weekend. Touted as the final showdown between Laurie Strode and Michael Myers, the slasher pic earned $41.3 million in ticket sales from 3,901 theaters in North America, according to studio estimates Sunday. It’s the first film to open higher than $40 million since “Nope” debuted in July and it surpassed its production budget. Including international showings, it boasts a global total of $58.4 million. But some in Hollywood are wondering whether it could have been even bigger if it hadn’t debuted simultaneously on Peacock, NBC Universal’s streaming service.