Horror continued its remarkable run at the box office this weekend, but it wasn’t the viral phenomenon Backrooms that came out on top. Instead, Scary Movie returned to theaters with a massive debut, proving that audiences still have an appetite for horror comedies when the brand recognition is strong enough.
The weekend also saw a solid start for Masters of the Universe, while several holdovers continued to generate strong business despite an increasingly crowded marketplace.
Scary Movie Exceeds Expectations
Scary Movie opened with $55.0 million.
That result landed above its projected range of $43 million to $53 million and comfortably surpassed the $50 million box office prediction. Nostalgia clearly played a major role, but the film also benefited from arriving at a time when theatrical comedies remain relatively scarce.
After several weeks dominated by horror and franchise fare, audiences turned out in force for something that offered a different experience. The result gives the long running parody series one of its biggest openings to date.
Masters of the Universe Opens Right on Target
Masters of the Universe debuted with $29.3 million.
Tracking suggested an opening between $25 million and $35 million, while a $28 million debut appeared likely. The film ultimately landed almost exactly where expected, delivering a respectable box office start for a property that has spent decades away from the big screen.
Whether it can develop strong legs remains the big question, but for now, this is a solid launch.
Backrooms Holds Remarkably Well
Backrooms earned $25.9 million in its second weekend.
Most films would struggle to maintain momentum after such a massive opening weekend, particularly when facing multiple new releases. Instead, Backrooms remained one of the biggest draws in theaters.
The horror phenomenon continues to look like one of the breakout success stories of the year, and its hold suggests strong word of mouth is helping sustain interest.
Obsession Refuses to Go Away
Obsession brought in $25.6 million.
The thriller remains neck and neck with Backrooms at the box office, continuing an impressive run that few would have predicted several weeks ago. While bigger titles continue grabbing headlines, Obsession has quietly become one of the most durable performers currently in theaters.
The Amazing Digital Circus: The Last Act Finds an Audience
The Amazing Digital Circus: The Last Act opened with $11.6 million.
The animated feature successfully translated its online popularity into theatrical revenue. While it never challenged the films above it, a top five debut is a strong outcome for a property that originated on the internet.
Its performance also reinforces how valuable younger online audiences can be when they show up in theaters.
Disclosure Day Predictions
Next weekend sees the release of Disclosure Day, which is currently tracking for an opening between $40 million and $50 million. On paper, those numbers are impressive, especially for an original film. However, for a project carrying Steven Spielberg’s name, the marketing campaign has felt surprisingly subdued compared to other major summer releases.
That makes this one particularly difficult to predict. Without a major promotional push, the film may need to rely heavily on reviews and audience reactions to generate momentum. That’s always a risky proposition, even for a filmmaker with Spielberg’s track record. For now, a debut around $42 million feels like the safest bet, landing near the lower end of projections while still giving the film a strong opening weekend.
As always, we’ll find out next week.
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