An Unexpected Horror Movie Could Hurt Sam Raimi's Send Help At The Box Office

For the first time in more than 15 years, director Sam Raimi ("The Evil Dead") has made a new horror movie. "Send Help" stars Rachel McAdams, marking an unlikely Marvel reunion between the star and Raimi, as they previously collaborated on "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness." It's a big deal for hardcore genre fans. In the midst of January, it feels like a slam dunk at the box office. Or is it? An unexpected, independently produced horror movie is also taking up a surprising amount of oxygen in the room, which might rain on Raimi's parade.

As of this writing, "Send Help," which hails from Disney's 20th Century Studios, is eyeing an opening weekend in the $10 to $15 million range domestically when it opens next weekend, per Box Office Theory. It's currently expected to take the number one spot on the charts. But the word "currently" is doing some heavy lifting there, because "Iron Lung," which hails from massive YouTuber Markiplier, is bringing up the rear, looking at a debut in the $9 to $13 million range. However, those estimates might be conservative.

Pre-sales have taken the industry by storm when it comes to "Iron Lung," which Markiplier, aka Mark Fischbach, wrote, directed, starred in, produced, and financed. It's also being distributed independently, but major chains like AMC and Cinemark have gotten on board, with pre-sales said to be above $5 million as of January 13 (per Deadline). While a $10 million opening would be huge, some people believe the movie could make much, much more.

Markiplier missed out on a cameo in "Five Nights at Freddy's" in order to make his movie happen. This is not just some cute pet project, it's a very real movie with very real interest.

"Send Help" centers on two colleagues who become stranded on a deserted island after a plane crash and must work together in order to survive. Things get tense and bloody from there. Dylan O'Brien ("The Maze Runner") stars alongside Adams.

Meanwhile, "Iron Lung" is based on the video game of the same name. It takes place in a post-apocalyptic future after a mysterious event causes all known stars and habitable planets in the universe to disappear. A convict is sent to search an ocean of blood discovered on a desolate moon using a small submarine.

Both movies are firmly gunning for the horror crowd. Working in their favor? "28 Years Later: The Bone Temple" bombed at the box office in its debut, meaning it's not likely to hold very well. Still, there's a lot of competition in the genre space, with "Return to Silent Hill" opening this weekend, while "Primate" is still out there doing business.

Though not a big threat in light of the fact that "The Strangers: Chapter 2" was met with terrible reviews last year, "The Strangers: Chapter 3" is also arriving on February 6, which also happens to be Super Bowl weekend. That could make it hard for these movies to hold in the weeks that follow. But if Disney kept the budget manageable (say, in the $40 million range), once international grosses are factored in, Raimi's first horror movie since 2009's somewhat polarizing "Drag Me to Hell" could still do well enough. At the same time, "Iron Lung" could be the next indie horror sensation, taking a page out of the "Terrifier 2" playbook. It should make for an interesting David vs. Goliath-style showdown.

"Send Help" and "Iron Lung" hit theaters on January 30, 2026.