Everett Collection

Make some noise, because it’s time to return to “A Quiet Place.”

The third entry in Paramount’s post-apocalyptic thriller series, “A Quiet Place: Day One,” has opened in theaters and made $6.8 million at the box office in Thursday previews.

After the 2018 original movie and the 2021 sequel, “Day One” goes back in time to the early stages of the alien invasion that destroyed society. It’s aiming for an opening between $40 million and $50 million, which is right in line with the previous two films. With a production budget of $67 million, “A Quiet Place: Day One” stands to be another hit to jolt the summer box office.

John Krasinski’s first “A Quiet Place” opened to $50.2 million in 2018 after making $4.3 million in previews, while the sequel launched during the pandemic and made $48 million after $4.8 million in previews. Considering Krasinski didn’t return to direct or appear in “A Quiet Place: Day One,” the box office projection bodes well for a prequel with a mostly new cast.

Lupita Nyong’o, Joseph Quinn and Alex Wolff star in the new movie, with Djimon Hounsou reprising his role from “A Quiet Place: Part II.” Set in New York City on the first day of the invasion, the characters are attacked by blind aliens that hunt their unlucky prey using echolocation. Michael Sarnoski, who directed the tense Nicolas Cage thriller “Pig,” takes the director reins from Krasinski.

Also opening this weekend is Kevin Costner’s big-budget Western “Horizon,” the first of a planned four-part film series. It’s projected to open with $10 million to $15 million, a worrying start due to the $100 million price tag and the “Part 2” sequel coming this August. It made $800,000 in Thursday previews.