"Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire" tops Box Office despite dismal critics’ review

"Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire" made a chilling debut at the domestic box office, exceeding initial expectations with a $45.2 million haul from 4,345 North American theaters.

While its international start proved less impressive at $16.4 million, the sequel's domestic performance narrowly edged out its 2021 predecessor, "Ghostbusters: Afterlife."

This initial success offers a hopeful sign for the franchise's latest entry, but with a hefty $100 million production budget, "Frozen Empire" faces a daunting challenge.

It needs to significantly surpass the box office results of "Afterlife" ($204 million global gross on a $75 million budget) to justify its higher price tag.

Critical reception for the sequel has not been stellar, earning a 43% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the lowest for any title in the franchise, and a "B+" CinemaScore.

Meanwhile the audience’s Rotten Tomatoes score of 85% as well as attendance numbers in theaters reflects a contrast to the critical reviews.

"Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire" directly follows the events of "Afterlife," bringing together veteran Ghostbusters (Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts) with a new generation (Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Mckenna Grace, Finn Wolfhard).

Together, they must face a looming apocalyptic threat with potentially icy consequences.