In a surprising turn of events at the North American box office, the Netflix-backed film "Kpop Demon Hunters" has emerged as the top contender. This sing-along version of the hit animated musical is estimated to have garnered between $18 million and $20 million over the weekend, outpacing initial expectations. While Netflix has not officially reported box office earnings, projections from competing studios suggest that "Kpop Demon Hunters" has surpassed ticket sales for "Weapons," which was anticipated to claim the top spot with an estimated $15.6 million from 3,631 theaters in its third weekend.
"Kpop Demon Hunters" is playing on an impressive 1,700 screens, more than double the theater count for Netflix’s previous theatrical release, "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery", in 2022. Reports indicate that approximately 1,150 showings have sold out, highlighting the film's popularity. This theatrical release is particularly noteworthy not only because it is produced by Netflix, which typically focuses on streaming, but also because the film is not a new release; it debuted on Netflix just two months ago. Since then, it has become the second-most watched film on the platform, with three of its original songs—"Golden," "Your Idol," and "Soda Pop"—currently ranking in the top 10 of Billboard’s Hot 100 chart.
While the successful release of "Kpop Demon Hunters" may provide a much-needed boost for theaters during an otherwise slow weekend, this strategic move by Netflix serves another purpose. The streaming giant aims to rekindle excitement among fans, encouraging them to return to the platform for re-watches or potentially for a sequel. AMC Theatres, the largest cinema chain in the world, is notably absent from the list of theaters screening "Kpop Demon Hunters." Analyst David A. Gross from Franchise Entertainment Research commented, “For 48 hours, this made-for-television film is playing to sold-out audiences who are singing, dancing, dressing up, and losing themselves in the fun. That’s pop entertainment at its best.”
Although "Weapons" is unlikely to secure the top spot, it has achieved sleeper hit status with a domestic total of $115.9 million and a global gross of $199 million. Directed by Zach Cregger, the film's $38 million budget has proven to be a worthwhile investment, following the success of his previous film, "Barbarian," which grossed $45 million for Disney in 2022. This marks the sixth consecutive box office win for Warner Bros., following successes with titles like "A Minecraft Movie" and "Superman."
As the summer box office season winds down, overall ticket sales currently stand at $3.5 billion from May through late August. This figure is 5.1% ahead of last year, though it represents a significant decrease from earlier in the summer when revenues were 25% higher than 2022. Unfortunately, the summer season is projected to fall short of the coveted $4 billion mark, a threshold that has only been surpassed once since the pandemic disrupted the industry.
Among other notable performances this weekend, Disney’s "Freakier Friday" is expected to take third place with an estimated $9.1 million, reflecting a modest 36% drop from the previous weekend. The sequel, which reunites Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis, has accumulated $70 million domestically and $113 million worldwide. Although these numbers fall short of the original "Freaky Friday"’s $160 million gross (not adjusted for inflation), it is still a promising outcome for a theatrical comedy in the current market.
This weekend also saw the release of Ethan Coen’s dark comedy "Honey Don’t!", which debuted at No. 8 with a modest $3 million from 1,317 venues. The film, featuring stars like Margaret Qualley and Chris Evans, follows a small-town private investigator embroiled in a series of mysterious deaths tied to a secretive church. This film is the second installment in what Coen describes as a "lesbian B-movie trilogy."
In a somewhat disappointing turn, A24's re-release of the Chinese blockbuster "Ne Zha II" failed to ignite much excitement in North America, grossing only $1.5 million from 2,228 theaters. Despite featuring Oscar-winner Michelle Yeoh in the English voice cast, the film has already shattered box office records globally, raking in an impressive $2.1 billion to date.
As the summer box office season draws to a close, several holdover titles continue to populate the top five. Disney’s Marvel film "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" remains in fourth place with $5.9 million in its fifth weekend. Despite a strong start with a $117 million opening, the film's overall performance has been underwhelming, with total ticket sales reaching $257 million domestically.
Lastly, "The Bad Guys 2" secured fifth place, collecting $5.1 million in its fourth weekend. The Universal and DreamWorks Animation heist comedy has generated $66 million domestically and $149 million globally, though it trails behind the success of the original "Bad Guys", which amassed $250 million over its entire run.
