Weapons again dominated the box office charts, earning a significant $25 million in its second weekend.
Directed, written, co-produced, and co-composed by Zach Gregger, the story blends elemengts kf mystery, horror, and comedy too.
The film stars Josh Brolin, Julia Garner, Alden Ehrenreich, Austin Abrams, Cary Christopher, Benedict Wong and Amy Madigan.
Its plot follows the seemingly inexplicable case of 17 children from the same classroom who mysteriously run away on the same night at the same time.
Have they been abducted by an unseen force, form what reason, and why at the same time?
Sleeper hit status:
Ticket sales for the R-rated horror film declined just 43% from its $43 million debut, an impressive hold for a genre that usually falls drastically after opening weekend.
Weapons has grossed $89 million domestically and $148 million worldwide after two weeks of release.
The film, which cost a modest $38 million, is benefiting from great reviews and positive word-of-mouth.
It’s the fifth consecutive hit for Warner after “A Minecraft Movie,” “Sinners,” “Final Destination Bloodlines” and “Superman.” Fortunes have reversed for the studio after starting the year with such misfires as “Mickey 17” and “The Alto Knights.”
In second place, Disney’s “Freakier Friday” also enjoyed a solid second weekend with $14.5 million from 3,975 venues, a 50% decline from its opening. The PG sequel, reuniting Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis as mother and daughter who swap places, has earned $54.6 million in North America and $86.3 million worldwide after 10 days of release.
In sixth place, “Superman” added $5.3 million in its sixth weekend in theaters. The comic book adaptation from Warner and DC has grossed $340 million in North America and $594 million worldwide to date. In a matter of days, it’ll become one of six films this year to cross the $600 million mark.
Co-starring Paul Walter Hauser, Halsey and Eric Dane, the Western follows a group on the trail of a rare Native American artifact.
Lionsgate acquired the film at SXSW in 2023 and pre-sold international rights, which helps to recoup losses for underperforming theatrical releases.
The overall box office is 6.4% ahead of last year — a margin that has been shrinking over the past few weeks. In early July, for example, revenues were 16% ahead of 2024. And returns for the four-month stretch that comprises the summer season are stalling at $3.4 billion through mid-August. That likely means the movie theater industry’s goal of hitting the elusive $4 billion mark won’t be within reach.
