Steven Spielberg‘s iconic film Jaws, which has captivated audiences for half a century, continues to make waves as the tumultuous 2025 summer season draws to a close. Celebrating its 50th anniversary, this original summer blockbuster has secured the second position at the Labor Day box office, trailing behind Zach Cregger‘s unexpected hit, Weapons, which has dominated the box office for four consecutive weekends.
With an estimated four-day gross of $12.4 million and $10.2 million for the three-day weekend, Weapons has proven to be a significant success for Warner Bros. and New Line, amassing a remarkable global total of $234.6 million. Meanwhile, Jaws, playing in 3,200 cinemas, is projected to earn around $9.8 million over the four-day weekend and approximately $8.1 million for the three days. Some rival studios anticipate that its earnings may exceed $10 million.
This impressive performance by a film that debuted 50 years ago highlights the current struggles faced by Hollywood studios and exhibitors. The low domestic revenue for the summer of 2025 is expected to barely match last year’s disappointing total of $3.67 billion, which marked a decline from 2023’s $4.09 billion. According to Comscore, domestic summer ticket sales for 2025 are projected to be 0.2 percent lower than 2024, translating to a shortfall of $7 million.
As summer approached, many industry experts were optimistic that ticket sales would mirror the robust performance of 2023, which surpassed $4 billion. However, despite strong critical acclaim, Sony and Darren Aronofsky‘s crime caper has opened in the third position, with an estimated four-day gross of $9.5 million from 3,578 theaters and $7.8 million over the three-day weekend, aligning with muted expectations.
Meanwhile, Disney‘s continuing success with Freakier Friday has secured it the fourth spot, earning an estimated $6.5 million for the three-day weekend and $8.3 million over the four-day period. In a disappointing turn, both Caught Stealing and The Roses received a lackluster B CinemaScore from audiences. However, exit polls on PostTrak indicated stronger audience reactions.
As the summer season wraps up, The Roses, a modern interpretation of the classic divorce comedy featuring stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Coleman, rounds out the top five in North America with an estimated four-day gross of $8 million from 2,700 locations and $6.3 million for the three days. It debuted with a stronger international launch, grossing $9.2 million overseas for a total estimated opening of $17.2 million.
Stay tuned for more updates as the summer box office season continues to unfold.
