New Line’s The Conjuring: Last Rites topped the weekend chart with a huge $83 million domestic debut, including a huge $34.5 million Friday and record $8.5 million in Thursday previews.

That’s by far the best opening in the history of the franchise and the third-biggest horror opening of all time in yet another win for Warner Bros.’ film empire, as well as the best showing of the year so far for any Hollywood horror title. Last Rites is the seventh consecutive WB release to open north of $40 million this year, a first for any Hollywood studio and one of the numerous milestones achieved this year by the once-struggling studio.

The news only gets better from there. The R-rated film continued to see its audience grow throughout the weekend. On Friday afternoon, it looked like it was headed for a record $65 million-plus bow. On Saturday, it was on course to open to $75 million from 3,802 theaters, including a lion’s share of higher-priced Imax and other premium large-format screens, which are a boon for the film in accounting for 40 percent of its total gross so far.

Sunday’s estimate of $83 million marks left Warners and New Line reeling, considering they had projected $35 million heading into the weekend, although other box pundits thought north of $50 million was more likely.

Overseas, Last Rites also came in well ahead of an expected $50 million with a record-shattering $104 million for a terrifyingly great global start of $187 million against a net production budget of $55 million before marketing. It surpassed fellow New Line release It: Chapter Two ($92.5 million) to rank as the industry’s top foreign bow of all time at the foreign box office, not adjusted for inflation, and Hollywood’s second-largest horror bow of all time globally.

Directed by series regular Michael Chaves, Last Rites — a sequel to The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It — is based on the Warren’s investigation of the Smurl haunting in Pennsylvania.

Mia Tomlinson and Ben Hardy also star, with Atomic Monster’s James Wan and DC Studios co-chief Peter Sarfan returning to produce.

No subsequent title in the Conjuring Universe was able to topple that record until The Nun, which debuted to $53.8 million in 2018.

Critics haven’t been kind to the new Last Rites movie, but audience reaction is promising.

The picture received a B CinemaScore, a great grade for a horror pic.

Disney’s rerelease of the acclaimed 2021 filmed version of Lin-Manuel Miranda‘s groundbreaking stage musical Hamilton sang to strong numbers, earning estimated $3.9 million on Friday, including $850,000 in Thursday previews.

Hamilton is booked in 1,825 theaters domestically, including over 100 premium large-format screens. Promoted as a one-week limited engagement, the run will likely be extended based on demand.

Warners and New Line’s Weapons and Disney’s Freakier Friday, both now in their fifth outings, held steady in fourth and fifth place.

Freakier Friday‘s stamina has become a topic of conversation. The long-awaited sequel fell only 44 percent to $3.8 million for a domestic total of $87.8 from 3,125 cinemas (that was the best hold of any film in the top 10). Overseas, its foreign tally stands at $55.1 million for a global total of $142.9 million.

Darren Aronofsky’s star-studded Caught Stealing tumbled 59 percent in its second outing to $3.2 million from 3,578 locations for a for a fifth-place finish domestically.