Scary ‘Don’t Breathe’ ousts ‘Suicide Squad’

The horror movie “Don’t Breathe” has reason to let out a big sigh of relief: Audiences turned out in droves for the late summer thriller, which brought in $26.1 million, according to studio estimates released Sunday.

That’s more than double the early predictions for how the scary film would perform and far above the modest production budget, which was reportedly less than $10 million.

“Don’t Breathe” is about a group of Detroit teens who chose the wrong house to rob — that of a blind, vengeful veteran. It stars Jane Levy and Dylan Minnette and was directed by Fede Alvarez, who is known for the “Evil Dead” remake.

It’s the latest horror success for Hollywood this summer, which has seen films like “Lights Out,” “The Conjuring 2” and “The Purge: Election Year” thrive while their bigger-budget, spectacle-driven counterparts flailed.

“Don’t Breathe” effectively unseated “Suicide Squad” from its three-week run atop the box office. This weekend, the comic book film “Suicide Squad” grossed $12.1 million, bringing its domestic total to $282.9 million.

“Kubo and the Two Strings” took third place in its second weekend in theaters with $7.9 million. The $60 million film has now earned $24.8 million domestically.

GORDON TIMPEN/SONY PICTURES Jane Levy stars in “Don’t Breathe.” It was directed by Fede Alvarez, who is known for the “Evil Dead” remake.