Backstage.com, the film was one of the first in a new strategy by distributors Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema "that capitalizes on the built-in fan bases for successful films, allowing for smaller budgets and production time with a bigger payout on the back end." Casting Casting was announced in January 2014, with Annabelle Wallis and Ward Horton playing the lead roles. with actors Eric Ladin, Brian Howe and Alfre Woodard also being announced that month. Filming Principal photography began on January 27, 2014, at The Book Shop in Covina, California. On February 25, 2014, filming continued at an apartment on South Normandie Avenue in Los Angeles County, where the 55-member crew shot for several days. Director Leonetti and producer Safran told reporters that the Annabelle set was "haunted" and that they thought "supernatural phenomena" had occurred there. The film was shot in sequence so that the actors were always aware of their emotional arcs. Music On April 24, 2014, Joseph Bishara was hired to compose the music for the film. WaterTower Music released the soundtrack album on September 30, 2014. Reception Box office Annabelle grossed $84.3million in North America and $172.8 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $257million, against a production budget of $6.5million. In the United States and Canada, Annabelle is the fourteenth highest-grossing horror/supernatural film. Early tracking projected Annabelle would gross around $25–27million in its opening weekend. However, estimates declined shortly after to a range between $20–22million. Annabelle was released on October 3, 2014, in 3,185 theatres in North America. It topped the box office in its opening day earning $15.4million (including its $2.1million midnight previews). In its traditional three-day opening the film debuted at #2 at the box office with $37.1million, at an average of $11,659 per theater from 3,185 theaters after a neck-and-neck competition against Gone Girl that earned $37.5million. The two releases were separated by $378,854. Its opening weekend gross is the eleventh highest in October and the biggest for a horror genre film of 2014, surpassing The Purge: Anarchys $28.9million opening. Dan Fellman, president of domestic distribution at Warner Bros., said about the opening box office performance, "we had a wonderful campaign for the film and a good date"; she added "being a spinoff of The Conjuring set it up really well and we just hit the right note." It is the second time that an October weekend has produced