In a weekend packed with high-profile releases and holdovers, Zach Cregger’s mystery horror film Weapons knocked The Fantastic Four: First Steps down the box office ladder and demolished Disney’s Freakier Friday to claim the top spot, pulling in an estimated $42.5 million from North American theaters over its opening three days.
The Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema production, which follows the eerie disappearance of a group of schoolchildren, also added $27.5 million from international markets for a global launch of $70 million.
This performance positions it as a solid success against its reported $38 million production budget, before marketing expenses, highlighting the continued appeal of original horror stories in 2025.
Cregger, building on the momentum from his 2022 hit Barbarian, delivers another twist-filled narrative that has resonated with audiences seeking fresh scares. The film’s cast, including Julia Garner, Josh Brolin (replacing Fantastic Four’s Pedro Pascal), and Alden Ehrenreich, likely contributed to its draw, as did positive word-of-mouth that helped it surpass expectations.
Some point to the film dropping Pedro Pascal after the overexposed actor’s schedule presented conflicts as contributing to its success, given how poorly Pascal’s theatrical projects are performing over the last few years. Many point to so-called “Pedro Pascal fatigue” as a primary deterrent keeping audiences at home.
Pedro Pascal at Star Wars Celebration – YouTube, Star Wars
This box office success for Weapons marks the latest in a string of horror victories this year, following strong showings from titles like Sinners and the rebooted Final Destination: Bloodlines. These triumphs show off the genre’s reliability at the ticket counter even amid competition from big-studio franchises like Fantastic Four, which dropped dramatically for the second week in a row.
Disney’s Freakier Friday, the sequel to the 2003 body-swap comedy starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan, landed in second place with $29 million domestically and $44.5 million worldwide in its debut. Directed by Nisha Ganatra, the film reunites the original leads for more family-friendly antics, but it fell short of some analysts’ higher projections, possibly due to the crowded marketplace.
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However, it would be hard to blame a horror film like Weapons for taking box office dollars away from a family comedy, meaning interest in the sequel among families might not be what Disney was hoping for.
Still, its nostalgic pull and broad appeal could support decent legs in the coming weeks, especially as families wrap up summer outings.
Dropping to third was Marvel’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which earned $15.5 million in its third frame for a domestic total approaching $230.7 million.
The cast of Fantastic Four: First Steps – YouTube, Marvel Entertainment
The superhero reboot, featuring a new cast led by Pedro Pascal, experienced a steep post-opening decline, falling 66% in its second weekend and then another 60% in its third. For more analysis on the Fantastic Four’s box office woes, click here.
Rounding out the top five were DreamWorks’ animated sequel The Bad Guys 2 with $10.4 million in its second weekend and the comedy reboot The Naked Gun, starring Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson, adding $8.3 million. The former continues to attract family audiences, while the latter’s spoofy humor has found a niche, though both faced stiff competition from the weekend’s newcomers.
Liam Neeson in The Naked Gun – YouTube, Paramount Pictures
On the international front, the Chinese historical drama Dead to Rights, focusing on the Nanjing Massacre, held strong with $41.5 million in its latest frame, pushing its global haul to $306.6 million after expansions into Australia and New Zealand. This only shows the growing influence of non-Hollywood films in worldwide rankings.
Among holdovers, James Gunn’s Superman added another $7.8 million domestically for a running total of $331.2 million, while Jurassic World Rebirth brought in $4.7 million to reach $326.8 million stateside. Both blockbusters are winding down but have already cemented their status as major hits of the summer season.
David Corenswet as Superman flying in James Gunn’s “Superman” – YouTube, DC
Looking ahead, the box office landscape shifts with upcoming releases like the comic adaptation Red Sonja starring Matilda Lutz, set for a midweek bow, followed by the action sequel Nobody 2 with Bob Odenkirk and Spike Lee’s remake Highest 2 Lowest, potentially his final team-up with Denzel Washington.
Josh Brolin in Weapons – YouTube, Warner Bros.
These arrivals could challenge Weapons’ box office hold, but the horror film’s strong start suggests it may linger as audiences seek thrills before the back-to-school rush.
How do you feel about the box office performance of Weapons compared to Disney misses like Fantastic Four and Freakier Friday? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
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