Summary
Longlegsdebuted in theaters in the United States on Friday, August 12, 2025, and its impressive opening weekend at the box office was one for the record books. The Neon horror thriller film, directed and written by Osgood Perkins,chronicles the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) search for an occultist serial killer.Agent Lee Harker, played by Makia Monroe, is a new recruit with the FBI who gets assigned to the decades-long case, and during her investigation, Lee comes to realize that she has a personal connection to the murderer (Nicolas Cage’s character inLonglegs).
Makia Monroe is scheduled to work with Neon again inThey Follow,a sequel to the 2014 horror filmIt Follows.Monroe will reprise her role as Jay Height, and the upcoming movie is set to begin filming in 2025.
The 2024 original horror moviewas released by Neon, an independent film production and distribution company most known for films such asI, Tonya,Parasite,Portrait of a Lady on Fire,Palm Springs,Anatomy of a Fall, andFerrari. Neon has a spectacular track record for distributing award-winning, critically acclaimed movies, and now,the company is making waves at the box office withLonglegs.With its release, Neon continues to cement its place as a reputable and accomplished film production studio founded only seven years ago.
Longlegs Opened To $22.6 Million
PerVariety,Longlegsgrossed $22.6 million over the course of its opening weekend in theaters in the United States. Given thatthe budget forthe Nicolas Cage horror moviewas reportedly just under $10 million(plus another estimated $10 million used for marketing), its opening numbers are mightily impressive. Sources estimated thatLonglegswould earn around $9 million during its opening, and it more than doubled that projection, a feat that not many films have accomplished. In fact,the horror thriller accumulated $10 million on its first day at the box office,making its earnings all the more shocking.
Many reviews applaud Nicolas Cage’s performance as the serial killer in [Longlegs], while also commending Osgood Perkins for his terrific direction and chill-inducing script.
Longlegs' $22.6 million is the biggest opening box office gross for a Neon moviein the history of the film production and distribution company. As mentioned above, Neon was founded more than seven years ago, in early 2017. With around 80 movies released under Neon’s banner,Longlegs' record-breaking box office opening is undoubtedly an exciting achievement for the studio and a sign of what is to come from Neon regarding its horror projects (includingan exciting horror sequel featuring one of theLonglegsstars).
What Longlegs' Revelation 13:1 Bible Verse Really Means
Osgood Perkins' highly-acclaimed serial killer horror movie Longlegs mentions one iconic Bible verse multiple times, emphasizing its importance.
Longlegs' Box Office Is Already Better Than Its 2024 Horror Rivals
The Neon Film Has The Best Original Horror Debut Of 2024
Not only wasLonglegs' opening weekend gross an astonishing accomplishment for Neon, butNicolas Cage’s new horror movie also broke a recordconcerning the box office as a whole.Longlegsopened to $22.6 million, the best original horror debut of 2024 so far.A Quiet Place: Day Onemade $52.2 million during its first weekend in theaters, but it skewed more toward sci-fi survival thriller than horror (and it’s a spin-off and prequel to an established, successful film series). As a result,Longlegsholds the record for the biggest box office opening for an original horror movie in 2024 (emphasis on original).
In comparison toLonglegs' $22.6 million debut, Neon’s previous record holder for best opening weekend was the 2024 horror filmImmaculate,which grossed $5.3 million over the course of its first weekend in theaters.
Longlegs' Marketing Helped Make It A Can’t-Miss Horror Movie
Longlegs Relied On An Online Marketing Campaign
One of the leading reasonsLonglegshad such a strong opening was its clever and unique online marketing campaign, resulting in strong word-of-mouth recommendations among consumers.Neon generated a website to promote the 2024 horror thriller.It features a ’90s (when the film takes place) aesthetic and information about Nicolas Cage’s character’s horrifying murders. The website (The Birthday Murders) also includesa phone number people can call to hear a creepy voice message from Cageas the serial killer antagonist.The Blair Witch Project,which also utilized a fake website to entice viewers, undoubtedly inspiredLonglegsto do the same.
Carmel Amit
Anna Carter
The inspired website wasn’t Neon’s only tool in itsgenius marketing campaign for Nicolas Cage’s 2024 horror movie. Even thoughLonglegsis not inspired by a real serial killer case, its original and mysterious story was intriguing enough to drive people to see the film in theaters. One of the smartest aspects of theLonglegstrailers, aside from their ability to generally stir suspense, was that they hid Cage’s character. No one can get a good look at him in the teasers, meaningthose eager to see Cage as Longlegs must see the movie in theaters.
Great Reviews Increased Anticipation For Longlegs
The 2024 Horror Movie Has An 86% Rotten Tomatoes Score
Of course,critics givingLonglegsraving reviewshelped generate hype around the project, resulting in a record-breaking opening at the box office. As of the writing of this article,the 2024 horror thriller has an awe-inspiring 86 percent Tomatometer scoreonRotten Tomatoes.The critics' consensus reads:
“Saturated in disquieting mood while leveraging a nightmarishly gonzo performance by Nicolas Cage,Longlegsis a satanic horror that effectively instills panic.”
Many reviews applaud Nicolas Cage’s performance as the serial killer in the horror movie, while also commending Osgood Perkins for his terrific direction and chill-inducing script. Critics claim thatLonglegsis unexpected, visceral, addictive, successfully terrifying, fresh, stomach-churning, eerie, and more.Some even assert thatLonglegsis one of the best horror movies they have seen in years. Given the film’s high praise, it’s understandable why many were convinced to buy tickets to seeLonglegsin theatersduring its opening weekend.
Does Longlegs Have A Post-Credits Scene?
Nicolas Cage and Maika Monroe’s horror movie keeps the mystery until the end. Here’s whether there is a Longlegs post-credits scene explaining more.
How Much Money Longlegs Could Make At The Box Office Now
Longlegs Could Break More Records
It is impossible to predict exactly how muchLonglegswill end up grossing at the box office once it finishes its theatrical run. However, based on its preliminary numbers,the 2024 horror thriller film starring Nicolas Cage could easily earn over $100 million.Of course, this depends on how much momentum it has regarding the public’s interest and how long it will be in theaters. Whatever the case,Longlegsis already a success for Neon following its opening weekend due to its $22.6 million box office.
Longlegs
Cast
Longlegs is a horror thriller film by writer-director Osgood Perkins. When FBI agent Lee Harker is assigned to a serial killer cold case, their investigation leads them down a rabbit hole riddled with disturbing discoveries and the occult at the center of it all. When the trail of evidence reveals a personal connection, it becomes a race against time to prevent another murder.
