Zack Cregger’s Weapons has emerged as one of the surprise box office hits of 2025, even as Hollywood braces for a few slower months at the theaters. The thriller, starring Julia Garner and Josh Brolin, has earned an impressive $148.8 million worldwide despite a recent dip of 43 percent domestically and 33 percent overseas. With Warner Bros. having secured the film’s rights for $38 million, the movie has already proven to be a major success for the studio.
Theater owners in the US, however, are looking at leaner weeks ahead. With fewer blockbuster titles scheduled for release until October, chains are turning to mid-budget projects and experimental films to keep audiences engaged.
A Year of Unexpected Box Office Winners
The 2025 box office has been full of unpredictable results. Few expected DC’s Superman to outperform Marvel’s Fantastic Four: First Steps, while Jurassic World Rebirth surpassed both to reach a massive $828 million haul. Horror has also staged a comeback, with Ryan Coogler’s Sinners and Zack Cregger’s Weapons proving that audiences are still drawn to fresh and bold storytelling.
Alamo Drafthouse chief revenue officer Mike Sherrill noted that the recent trend shows audiences respond positively when given “something fresh and exciting,” a sentiment echoed across the industry.
What Lies Ahead for Theaters
While August will close with Ethan Coen’s Honey Don’t! and Darren Aronofsky’s Caught Stealing, along with satire The Rose featuring Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman, none are projected to perform at blockbuster levels.
September brings some variety, including The Conjuring: Last Rites, the Broadway-filmed version of Hamilton, Lionsgate’s The Long Walk, Sony’s Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, and Paul Thomas Anderson’s epic One Battle After Another starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Still, analysts suggest that although the volume of releases may help, none of these titles are expected to dominate the charts.
Chris Randleman, chief revenue officer at Flix Brewhouse, told Variety that September films may struggle to become major hits, though a steady flow of titles should balance the box office.
October and Beyond Could Bring Revival
The industry’s next major blockbuster hopeful is Disney’s Tron: Ares, scheduled for October 10. Following that, theaters are banking on a busy late October and November with highly anticipated titles such as 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 commented that while the slowdown may test theaters temporarily, the industry is financially stable enough post-pandemic to sustain itself until the bigger releases arrive.
