In August, a month renowned for edgy films, horror and humor collided spectacularly at the box office. Zach Cregger’s highly anticipated horror film, "Weapons", lived up to expectations, debuting at the top of the box office with a remarkable $42.5 million in domestic earnings from 3,202 theaters. The film also garnered an impressive $70 million internationally, marking a significant achievement for its distributor, Warner Bros. Pictures. This success represents the studio's seventh No. 1 opening of the year and continues its streak, being the sixth consecutive film to debut with over $40 million domestically.
In the second spot, Disney's chaotic sequel, "Freakier Friday", made a noteworthy debut, earning $29 million from 3,975 North American theaters. This film sees the return of beloved stars Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis, featuring a double body-swapping scenario involving the mother-daughter duo and Lohan’s teenage daughter alongside her soon-to-be stepdaughter. The success of both films can be attributed to effective viral marketing strategies and robust social media buzz, as highlighted by Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for Comscore. He noted, “The top two films could not be more different, and that’s what makes this weekend so appealing for moviegoers.”
"Weapons" takes audiences to the small town of Maybrook, where a mysterious event occurs at 2:17 a.m., leading to the disappearance of 17 kids and leaving their parents bewildered. The film explores the lingering effects of trauma through a blend of horror, paranoia, and existential humor. This project is Cregger’s follow-up to his successful solo directorial debut with the genre-defining horror film "Barbarian", which, despite a smaller budget and slower start, made waves in the industry with a $10 million domestic opening.
With 95% approval on Rotten Tomatoes, "Weapons" generated significant buzz, drawing audiences to theaters. Jeffrey Goldstein, president of Global Distribution for Warner Bros., remarked, “The Internet’s exploding right now between Friday and today. You just see that people are having a great time with it.” He attributes the film's success to its exceptional quality, innovative marketing, and strategic release timing.
The success of this comedy-horror double feature relegated "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" to third place, which brought in $15.5 million domestically after a strong opening weekend of $118 million. Following closely was "The Bad Guys 2", which earned $10.4 million and placed fourth, while the classic comedy remake "The Naked Gun" rounded out the top five with $8.4 million.
In seventh place, "Jurassic World Rebirth" is projected to reach $800 million globally by Monday, showcasing the ongoing success of franchise films this year. Warner Bros. had a slow start in 2023 but has bounced back with hits like "A Minecraft Movie", which debuted with $157 million domestically. The studio has set a "blueprint" for a successful summer lineup, according to Dergarabedian, with "Weapons" joining the ranks of other successful horror films this year, just behind "Final Destination: Bloodlines" and "Sinners".
With final domestic figures being released on Monday, here are the top 10 movies based on estimated ticket sales from Friday through Sunday in U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore:
"Weapons", $42.5 million"Freakier Friday", $29 million"The Fantastic Four: First Steps", $15.5 million"The Bad Guys 2", $10.4 million"The Naked Gun", $8.4 million"Superman", $7.8 million"Jurassic World Rebirth", $4.7 million"F1: The Movie", $2.9 million"Together", $2.6 million"Sketch", $2.5 million