Weapons dominates box office but theaters gearing up for slow months. Here’s why | Hollywood
Zack Cregger’s Weapons has become one of the year’s breakout hits. Despite business declining by 43 per cent domestically and 33 per cent internationally, the film starring Julia Garner and Josh Brolin has raked in $148.8 million globally. This is yet another win for Warner Bros, which paid $38 million for rights to the project, according to The Hollywood Reporter. However, the weeks ahead look lighter with no major releases coming up. Theater chains in the US, too, are betting on smaller, riskier releases and hoping audiences keep showing up.
The hit films no one saw coming
The 2025 Box Office has been full of surprises. Few expected DC’s Superman to outpace Marvel’s Fantastic Four: First Steps or for Jurassic World Rebirth to eclipse them both with an $828 million haul.
Original horror titles like Ryan Coogler’s Sinners and Weapons proved that audiences are still willing to gamble on bold new ideas. Alamo Drafthouse’s chief revenue officer, Mike Sherrill, told Variety that the success of the films shows that people will show up when they are given “something fresh and exciting”.
Also read: Weapons ending explained: What happened to the kids who vanished in Josh Brolin’s film?
The bleak weeks ahead
The Variety report added that despite the momentum, the upcoming calendar looks barren. August will be closing with Ethan Coen’s Honey Don’t! and Darren Aronofsky’s Caught Stealing, and the satire The Rose starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman. However, none are expected to generate blockbuster numbers.
The first week of September will likely see a spark from the fifth instalment of the supernatural franchise The Conjuring: Last Rites and the filmed version of Broadway’s Hamilton. According to Movie Insider, nine new titles will be debuting later in the month, which include: Lionsgate’s The Long Walk, Sony’s Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, and Paul Thomas Anderson’s costly epic One Battle After Another, starring Leonardo DiCaprio.
Chris Randleman, chief revenue officer at Flix Brewhouse, told Variety that none of the September releases look like they will make it big, but the volume will counteract it.
A glimpse of hope in October and beyond
The industry’s next major bet is Disney’s Tron: Ares, which is set to release on October 10. However, the real uptick in business is expected in late October and November when the following titles arrive: Mortal Kombat II, Predator: Badlands, Now You See Me: Now You Don’t, Wicked: For Good, and Disney’s Zootopia 2.
Texas Capital Securities analyst Eric Wold told Variety that theaters will be able to endure the lull since they have recovered enough financially after the pandemic to sustain through a short-term slowdown.
FAQs
Q1: Why is the fall box office expected to be weak?
The release calendar has fewer big-budget films, with most major titles delayed until October and November.
Q2: Which films could help sustain theaters before October?
The Conjuring: Last Rites, Hamilton, and smaller titles like Honey Don’t! and The Roses may provide moderate boosts.
Q3: What are the big upcoming blockbusters?
Disney’s Tron: Ares, Mortal Kombat II, Predator: Badlands, Now You See Me: Now You Don’t, Wicked: For Good, and Zootopia 2.
Q4: How are theaters adapting to slow months?
Chains like AMC and Alamo are using discounts, premium screenings, and special events to attract audiences.
