Sam Raimi’s Critically Acclaimed Horror Comeback Shows No Mercy to Rebecca Ferguson’s Sci-Fi Disaster at the Box Office

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Published Jan 31, 2026, 10:53 AM EST

Rahul Malhotra is a Weekend News Writer for Collider. From Francois Ozon to David Fincher, he'll watch anything once.

He has been writing for Collider for over two years, and has covered everything from Marvel to the Oscars, and Marvel at the Oscars. He also writes obsessively about the box office, charting the many hits and misses that are released weekly, and how their commercial performance shapes public perception. In his time at Collider, he has also helped drive diversity by writing stories about the multiple Indian film industries, with a goal to introduce audiences to a whole new world of cinema.

Swing and a miss > measured victory. Also, #JusticeForHan. (He/Him).

The last time director Sam Raimi scaled back in terms of scope, he delivered the cult horror classic Drag Me to Hell. Raimi made the movie for a reported $30 million only a couple of years after Spider-Man 3, which was said to have cost more than 10 times as much. Raimi's last film was Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, one of the most expensive movies of all time with a reported budget of more than $400 million. This week, he returned to the horror genre with Send Help, which opened to critical acclaim and cost around $40 million. Send Help was initially projected to debut at the number one spot at the domestic box office, but it's facing unexpected competition from YouTuber Markiplier's directorial debut, Iron Lung. The internet personality's film is exceeding expectations, proving that Gen Z's viewing patterns are difficult to pin down.

This unexpected box-office phenomenon happened a few years ago with the poorly received movie Five Nights at Freddy's, which shattered box office records upon release and spawned a sequel. This weekend, both Iron Lung and Send Help are projected to gross more than $15 million each. While Raimi's film received the full support of 20th Century Studios, Iron Lung sidestepped traditional promotion in favor of marketing directly to its core audience. Send Help stars Rachel McAdams and Dylan O'Brien as co-workers stranded on an island. The movie currently holds a "Certified Fresh" 94% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, where the critics' consensus reads, "Putting director Sam Raimi's penchant for diabolical mayhem to great use, Send Help doesn't need any assistance in thrills thanks to a very game Rachel McAdams and Dylan O'Brien along with a viciously clever script."

Rebecca Ferguson and Chris Pratt's New Film Is Struggling to Keep Up

Iron Lung doesn't yet have a critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes, although its audience rating is sitting at a "Verified Hot" 90%. It's still unclear which of the two will take the domestic box office crown this weekend, but one thing is for certain: Chris Pratt and Rebecca Ferguson's Mercy has been rejected by audiences. The sci-fi movie underperformed in its opening frame last week and has only made around $15 million so far against a reported budget of $60 million. To make matters worse, Mercy has also been panned by critics. The movie may fail to recoup its budget at the box office. You can watch Send Help, Iron Lung, and Mercy in theaters. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.