Overview

• The Stephen King adaptation opened at No. 4 with about $11.5 million domestically, facing heavy competition from Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle and The Conjuring: Last Rites, against a reported ~$20 million budget.
• The film holds a high critics score near 89–90% on Rotten Tomatoes, with audiences around 85%, placing it among the year’s better‑reviewed King projects.
• Director Francis Lawrence publicly addressed the movie’s altered ending, saying Stephen King approved the change without detailing specifics.
• Producer Roy Lee said King suggested lowering the walkers’ required pace to 3 mph to boost realism, a tweak reflected in the final cut.
• Industry watchers expect a PVOD release in mid‑October with a later Starz streaming window, though Lionsgate has not confirmed dates.