This weekend, the box office witnessed an impressive surge in ticket sales, largely attributed to the releases of the twisty horror film “Weapons” and the hilarious body swap comedy “Freakier Friday”. As the summer movie season comes to a close, these films captured the top two spots on the charts, with “Weapons” debuting with an impressive $42.5 million and “Freakier Friday” premiering to a strong $29 million.
Last weekend’s box office champion, Disney and Marvel’s “Fantastic Four: The First Steps”, has surrendered its crown, earning $15.5 million in its third weekend of release, which secured a third-place finish. After starting strong with a remarkable $117.6 million opening, “Fantastic Four” has seen a significant decline in subsequent weekends, dropping more than 67% during its second frame and another 60% over the past weekend. Despite grossing $230 million domestically, it is projected to earn less than its rival DC Films’ latest comic book adaptation, “Superman”.
“Weapons” marks a continuation of Warner Bros.’ recent success, released through its New Line label. The studio had a rocky start to 2025 with underperforming films like “Mickey 17” and “The Alto Knights”, but has bounced back with hits such as “Sinners”, “A Minecraft Movie”, and “Superman”. With a production budget of $38 million, “Weapons” is the latest project from writer-director Zach Cregger, known for the critically acclaimed “Barbarian”, which garnered $45.4 million in 2022. The cast of “Weapons” includes notable stars like Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, Alden Ehrenreich, Austin Abrams, Benedict Wong, and Amy Madigan.
“Freakier Friday”, a sequel to the beloved 2003 film of the same name, has been well-received, bringing back original stars Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan as a mother-daughter duo who hilariously swap places. With a budget of $42 million, this family-friendly film is off to a robust start, aided by positive reviews and strong word-of-mouth.
Both films benefited from favorable reviews, earning an “A-” and an “A” grade from CinemaScore, respectively. This positive reception could position them well for continued success in the upcoming weeks, potentially leading to repeat business.
In fourth place, Universal and DreamWorks Animation’s “The Bad Guys 2” collected $10.4 million in its second weekend, marking a 53% drop from its opening. This animated sequel’s domestic total now stands at $43.4 million, with its predecessor concluding its run at $97 million in North America. Lastly, “The Naked Gun”, the final release from Paramount’s previous regime following its acquisition by Skydance, rounded out the top five with $8.3 million in its second weekend, bringing its North American haul to $33 million.
