Topline
Movie theaters are having a rough end-of-summer period with a lack of big blockbuster releases on the horizon, which is producing some of the lowest-grossing days at the theater in months as weeks-old movies like “Weapons” reign without serious competition.
Key Facts
“Weapons,” “Freakier Friday” and “Fantastic Four: The First Steps” are leading this week’s box office—but all of these movies are weeks old, as no new blockbuster releases have been able to breathe life into a struggling end-of-summer market.
Every weekend in August has grossed less than the corresponding weekend from August 2024, Comscore box office analyst Paul Dergarabedian told Forbes, as recent movies like Ethan Coen’s “Honey Don’t!” and the Bob Odenkirk-starring “Nobody 2” scored middling opening weekend debuts.
On Monday, the top 10 movies at domestic theaters grossed under $5 million, according to Box Office Mojo, marking one of the worst days at the theater since March, when the box office similarly struggled amid a lack of smash hits.
September and October may also be rough, Dergarabedian told Forbes, warning there may be a “few fallow weeks at the box office” as the “post-summer corridor is looking a bit bereft of standout blockbusters.”
The box office will “have to rely on the cumulative success of some expected mid-range performers,” like “The Conjuring: Last Rites,” which opens in theaters next week, and “Tron: Ares,” a sequel to the 2010 film “Tron: Legacy” that opens in October, Dergarabedian said.
What To Watch For
Whether “The Conjuring: Last Rites” can revive the box office next weekend with a strong debut. Ticket seller Fandango said Thursday the movie has sold more pre-sale tickets than any other horror movies in 2025 so far, and its ticket pre-sales top all other movies in the “Conjuring” franchise. “The Conjuring” movies are typically box office hits, and the last installment, 2023’s “The Nun II,” grossed $270 million worldwide.
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