A24 released a new horror movie calledOpus, which has done poorly at the box office and among critics, yet there is still hope that the production company can turn its luck around with several promising releases.Opusis a horror musical centering on Ariel Ecton, an ambitious journalistwho gets a chance at fame when she is invited toa mysterious party by an iconic musician, Alfred Moretti. However, Ariel’s big break quickly turns into a nightmare when she finds herself constantly surveilled, unable to leave, and in danger of being killed like her peers.
Opusboasts a unique premise and a star-studded cast, yet the movie ultimately failed. On a rather small budget of $10 million, the movie only grossed $1.1 million at the box office. Furthermore,its Rotten Tomatoes scores sit at a 37% for critics and a 57% for audiences.Opus’sbox office failuremainly comes from its storytelling. Critics felt that the film struggled to follow through with its myriad ideas, feeling more like a remake of other satirical horror movies rather than an original piece. Though strange and visually appealing,Opusdid not stick its thematic landing.
A24’s Next Movie Is Paul Rudd & Jenna Ortega’s Death Of A Unicorn
How Death Of A Unicorn Is Similar & Different From Opus
Opus’sfailure is disappointing for A24, but fortunately, the company has another movie on the horizon that can overshadow it. Set to premiere on Aug 03, 2025,Death of a Unicornis another A24 horror movie which follows a father and daughter who accidentally run over a unicornwith their car. Soon enough, the mythical creature is exploited for its healing powers, leading to disastrous results, as the unicorn’s parents seek revenge.Death of a Unicornis yet another star-studded affair, featuring Paul Rudd, Jenna Ortega, Will Poulter, Anthony Carrigan, and more.
In some respects,OpusandDeath of a Unicornappear to be quite similar. Both are horror movies with somewhat unusual premises; a musician-turned-cult-leader and the accidental death of a unicorn. Plus, the two films have notable casts that include both rising talents and established stars. Then again,Death of a Unicornleans more on the comedic side thanOpus.Additionally, it already has better reviews, despite being a week away from its official premiere. In this way,Death of a Unicornlooks like an opportunity for A24 to redeem itself afterOpus.
Death Of A Unicorn Should Be A Bigger Box Office Success Than Opus
What Early Reviews Are Saying About Death Of A Unicorn
It seems likely thatDeath of a Unicornwill fare much betterthanOpusdid, despite the movies' similarities. One big reason is thatDeath of a Unicornwill probably get a wider release thanOpusbecause its cast has slightly bigger stars. Ortega is just as beloved as Ayo Edebiri, but Rudd is arguably more relevant than John Malkovich, and he’s joined by Richard E. Grant. Thus, more theaters are likely to show the movie and more audiences may be persuaded to see it. It also helps thatDeath of a Unicornis already raking in semi-positive reviews.
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On Rotten Tomatoes,Death of a Unicornhas a 64% critics score, which is nearly double whatOpushas. So far,early reviews have notedDeath of a Unicorn’shigh entertainment value and the fantastic performancesof its cast. Furthermore, some have been impressed by the film’s wittiness and its ability to dive headfirst into a unique concept. To be fair, there have definitely been more disappointing reviews revolving around the movie’s originality, but for now, it seems to be making strides thatOpussimply has not. Even a small success will be better thanOpus’sshocking failure.
A24’s Remaining 2025 Movies Hold Great Box Office Potential Too
It Is Good That Opus Was Released When It Was
Even ifDeath of a Unicorndoesn’t clear A24’s name, the company has plenty of upcoming releases that can do far better thanOpus.Films likeWarfare,Bring Her Back,Materialists,andMarty Supremeall have the chance to succeed.After the success of 2024’sCivil War, Alex Garland’sWarfarecould be another box office hit.The same goes forBring Her Back,which comes after the Philippous' nearly $100 million success withTalk To Me.Plus, actors like Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal, and Timothee Chalamet give A24 plenty of potential for financial gain.
Death of a Unicorn
Marty Supreme
June 15, 2025
If anything, this stellar line-up shows how fortunateOpus’srelease was. Having been released early in 2025, it will be easy for audiences to forget about the box office flopin the face ofother A24 movies. More incredible actors and more strange premises will make it so thatOpusnever really happened. It is sad but true that this would be the best case scenario for both A24 and the cast ofOpus.By pursuing newer and better projects,the failure ofOpuscan become nothing more than a dark blot on a mostly positive filmography.
What A24 Can Still Learn From Opus' Box Office
There Is Plenty To Appreciate About Opus
A24 could useOpus’sfailureas a lesson. Even though itdidn’t earn the strongest reviews,it may have been beneficial to giveOpusa wider release and more advertising.Audiences may not have enjoyed the film, but box office numbers could have been higher if more viewers actually went to see the movie. In the future, A24 may want to consider giving its movies more marketing to at least pique viewers' interest. With big stars like Edebiri and Malkovich, it would be silly to bury the movie before it even has a chance to make money.
Also, it is important to note thatOpuswasn’t a complete failure. Regardless of its finances and its bad reviews, the movie isn’t awful. In fact, it is more mediocre than it is straight-up bad.There are countless moments inOpusthat are comical and interestingto look at. Plus, it is exciting to see Edebiri in a horror role, which is vastly different from her previous work. All in all,Opusmay have failed, but it should not go down as the worst A24 movie in the world - at least not yet.
