{"id":42457,"date":"2025-10-17T14:44:58","date_gmt":"2025-10-17T09:14:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/index.php\/2025\/10\/17\/dark-nuns-a-haunting-revival-when-sisters-battle-demons-and-box-office-doubts\/"},"modified":"2025-10-17T14:44:58","modified_gmt":"2025-10-17T09:14:58","slug":"dark-nuns-a-haunting-revival-when-sisters-battle-demons-and-box-office-doubts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/index.php\/2025\/10\/17\/dark-nuns-a-haunting-revival-when-sisters-battle-demons-and-box-office-doubts\/","title":{"rendered":"Dark Nuns: A Haunting Revival \u2014 When Sisters Battle Demons and Box Office Doubts"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], October 17: <\/strong>If you asked me a year ago whether a Korean exorcism horror led by two nuns could open top of the box office, I\u2019d have chuckled. Yet here we are. Dark Nuns<\/em> (also styled The Priests 2: Dark Nuns<\/em>) has invaded screens \u2014 and minds \u2014 in early 2025, bringing with it ambition, dread, and some stumbles along the path of faith and spectacle.<\/p>\n

When Dark Nuns<\/em> premiered in South Korea on January 24, 2025, it arrived with more than whispers of curiosity \u2014 it came with weighty expectations. A spin-off of the 2015 cult-hit The Priests<\/em>, this version shifts the lens: two nuns named Junia<\/strong> (Song Hye-kyo) and Michaela<\/strong> (Jeon Yeo-been) refuse to remain passive relics in the Church\u2019s shadows. When a boy \u2014 Hee-joon<\/strong> (Moon Woo-jin) \u2014 is claimed by a malevolent spirit, the institutional priests stall, debate, and hesitate. The nuns strike.<\/p>\n

From the start, the production signals its cross-boundary ambition: Dark Nuns<\/em> was pre-sold in 160 countries<\/strong> before release. The theatrical distribution spanned Indonesia, Taiwan, Mongolia, the Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, the U.S.\/Canada, and more.<\/p>\n

\"Nuns\"<\/h3>\n

Box Office Numbers: A Mortal Wound or Just a Scar?<\/h3>\n

Let\u2019s confront the ledger. BoxOfficeMojo reports Dark Nuns<\/em> raked in \u2248 $11,966,674<\/strong> globally. Its Korean take alone \u2014 the beating heart of its launch \u2014 was $11,125,100<\/strong> (\u2248 KRW 5.71 billion opening weekend)\u00a0In the U.S. & Canada, it landed a modest $103,433<\/strong>, with a small opening weekend of $54,923<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

In domestic terms, those U.S. numbers may seem puny \u2014 but the film never leaned on the American market as its main pillar. In Korea, it opened to the top spot. Variety even declared: \u201cDark Nuns<\/em> scares up top spot as new releases surge.\u201d<\/p>\n

By its second week, it had surpassed 1.43 million admissions<\/strong>, a meaningful plateau for a genre film. \u00a0And in Indonesia, it reportedly broke records among Korean releases, drawing around 310,000 viewers<\/strong> in its first week. \u2014 also earning it a place in Indonesia\u2019s 2025 box office number-ones list.<\/p>\n

So: financial victory? Not exactly. A respectable, cross-border moderate success? Yes \u2014 especially considering the niche nature of exorcism horror in 2025\u2019s market.<\/p>\n

\"Nuns\"<\/h3>\n

What the Film Does Right (and Sometimes Rivetingly)<\/h3>\n

1. Female Agency in Exorcism<\/strong>
Perhaps the strongest current in Dark Nuns<\/em> is its commitment to giving voice, agency, and grit to women in religious spaces. Junia does not wait, does not sanitise. When institutions falter, she pushes on. This is refreshing in a genre often led by male exorcists shadowing female victims.<\/p>\n

2. Strong Lead Performances<\/strong>
Song Hye-kyo<\/a> delivers a restrained but compelling Junia \u2014 her emotional beats carry weight without exaggeration. Jeon Yeo-been\u2019s Michaela is torn between faith and doubt, and moments when the two nuns share screen time feel electric, charged. Critics and reviewers praise those scenes as the film\u2019s spine.<\/p>\n

3. Atmosphere & Mythic Framing<\/strong>
The film doesn\u2019t merely exorcise; it lingers in ritual, silence, and shadows. It mixes Catholic tropes with indigenous Korean folklore, presenting its demon as something ancient, patient, and cunning. SubcultureEntertainment<\/em> writes: \u201cDark Nuns<\/em> explores deep theological questions \u2014 the correlation between demon possession and mental illness, science versus faith, ritual and ritual\u2019s cost.\u201d<\/p>\n

4. Commercial Beats Meeting Horror Tropes<\/strong>
Despite ambition, Dark Nuns<\/em> delivers accessible horror: possession, confrontation, rituals, and cries in darkness. Collider notes that it follows \u201csimilar beats as classic exorcism horror movies,\u201d but stands out for its \u201cstrong and compelling lead characters.\u201d<\/p>\n

5. Box Office Momentum<\/strong>
Maintaining the #1 spot in Korea, exceeding 1.4 million admissions, outperforming many genre peers \u2014 these are concrete wins. The film\u2019s overseas distribution, especially in Southeast Asia, added important buffer strength.<\/p>\n

\"Nuns\"<\/h3>\n

Where the Shadows Creep In (and Sometimes Trip the Exorcism)<\/h3>\n

1. Predictability & Script Familiarity<\/strong>
Several reviews point out that Dark Nuns<\/em> <\/a>often mirrors The Priests<\/em> (its predecessor) \u2014 similar structure of church debate, dualism, exorcism escalation. Spectrum Culture<\/em> criticises the pacing as replicating the older film\u2019s rhythms, without enough new architecture.<\/p>\n

2. Tonal Dissonance & Jargon Overload<\/strong>
The screenplay occasionally strays into heavy theological or medical dialogue \u2014 exposition that clutters the narrative. Sarah Vincent\u2019s Views<\/em> describes a sluggish first third, with monologues overshadowing momentum.\u00a0SubcultureEntertainment<\/em> echoes this: scenes where the \u201critual formula\u201d is spelt out feel more mechanical than organic.<\/p>\n

3. Underused Supporting Cast \/ Secondary Stakes<\/strong>
Characters like Father Paolo (Lee Jin-wook) and the shaman Hyo-won have rich potential, but sometimes feel sidelined. The emotional weight falls too heavily on the nuns, which is fine, but leaves less room for world-building or side arcs to matter.<\/p>\n

4. Horror That Scares \u2014 But Does It Haunt?<\/strong>
Is Dark Nuns<\/em> frightening? Yes, in spots. But a few moments linger beyond the scene. As Letterboxd<\/em> reviewers note, despite good production values, the film rarely achieves urgency or a unique identity.<\/p>\n

5. Margins Under Pressure<\/strong>
For all its overseas and Korean success, the film\u2019s U.S. earnings are modest \u2014 $103,433 on a limited release.\u00a0For a horror film, international strength is key \u2014 but the U.S. market likely won\u2019t tip the profit scales. Also, some of the script\u2019s turns (exorcism, church politics) may not resonate deeply with non-Christian or less religious audiences.<\/p>\n

\"Nuns\"<\/h3>\n

The Internet Roars: Fan Buzz, Reddit Threads, Praise & Critique<\/h3>\n