- Backrooms (review)- $81.4M
It’s a good time for buzzy horror flicks, which occupy the top two box office spots this week. A24 released Kane Parson’s liminal horror Backrooms and earned a massive $81M at over 3400 theaters. The film, led by Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve, about a portal to a complex puzzle of nightmarish rooms, was on par with the debut of The Mandalorian & Grogu just last week. For the record, this breaks A24’s previous record for an opening weekend, held by Civil War‘s $25.5M in 2024. Reviews were strong across the board, with 89% from critics and 74% from audiences. Worldwide, it holds $118M.
2. Obsession– $26.4M/$104.7M
For the second week in a row, Obsession increased its gross with $26.4M, more than 10% than last week. The film now sits at $104.7M domestically and $148M worldwide. We’re getting into Paranormal Activity range now, as it should surpass every chapter of that venerable horror franchise later this week.
3. Star Wars: The Mandalorian & Grogu– $25M/$137.3M
On the other hand, The Mandalorian & Grogu plummeted hard, dropping 69% for just $25M and $137M overall domestically. After two weeks it has just $246M globally, which is less than the entire opening weekend of The Force Awakens in 2015.
4. Michael– $11.7M/$339.9M
5. The Breadwinner– $7.5M
Comedian Nate Bargatze led comedy The Breadwinner to just $7.5M in its opening weekend. That’s not especially great for Sony Pictures, but then the expectations probably weren’t soaring to begin with. Critics hated it to the tune of just 27% on RT, but audiences, undoubtedly fans of the wholesome comedian, gave it 87%.
6. The Devil Wears Prada 2– $5.9M/$209.3M
7. Pressure (review)- $5.7M
Focus Features released the handsome WWII pic Pressure into 1,829 theaters and earned just $5.7M. I’m disappointed in that number for the Brendan Fraser/Andrew Scott drama about forecasting the weather ahead of D-Day. Perhaps that was the problem; the subject matter didn’t sound interesting, so casual audiences weren’t drawn in. That’s a shame because it’s a great movie and those who saw it, scored it extremely high.
8. The Sheep Detectives– $4.6M/$54.5M
9. Passenger– $2.6M/$15.2M
10. Mortal Kombat II– $2M/$77.7M
Also…Lionsgate gave a soft 10-theater opening for John Carney’s latest music-driven comedy, Power Ballad (review), earning $170K or $17K per site. That’s a strong start for the film starring Paul Rudd as a former rocker-turned-wedding singer, and Nick Jonas as the boy band member who steals his cherished song.
