To start with, the numbers for Black Phone 2 landed right on target with initial estimates for its domestic release, with $26.5 million just a little bit more than Black Phone’s $23 million in 2022. Which is much more than many of the October releases have accomplished this last few weeks, with Tron: Ares, One Battle After Another, and The Smashing Machine having landed far below their hopeful estimates.

Black Phone 2, though, boasts a much larger budget than its predecessor’s $18 million, with a total of $30 million spent to bring back the Grabber, but has at least managed to snag an additional $15.5 million internationally for a premiere total of $42 million to help it pass the profitability line despite the fall box office slump. Reportedly, the 2025 box office so far has surpassed 2024’s by 4% but this October’s is 11% below the previous October, which was carried by multiple horror, action and spooky hits, including Deadpool & Wolverine.

Tron: Ares came in second for its sophomore outing with $11.14 million as it continues to drag behind, but still managed to stay ahead of newcomer Good Fortune, headlined by Aziz Ansari, who also begins his directional debut with Keanu Reeves in a rare purely comedic role co-starring. Good Fortune netted $6.2 million for its premiere, but with a $30 million budget, it does not bode well for the film’s future.

One Battle After Another came in fourth this week with only $4 million and has studios reluctantly writing it off as a bomb, with only $61.9 million pulled for domestic revenue. One Battle After Another is currently projected to lose the studio $100 million after current estimates firmly land in bomb territory.

In much more pleasant news, Roofman occupied the fifth spot this weekend with the modest budget of around $17 million, which has not been held back by the overall sleepy month and has already made much more ground on closing in on breaking even with an additional $3.7 million in its domestic haul of $15.51 million.

The bottom half of the charts saw another newcomer this time from Angel Studios, with Truth & Treason taking sixth place with $2.72 million for its premiere. Gabby’s Dollhouse hangs on to the top ten, following behind in seventh with $1.65 million. Also hanging on still haunting the charts is The Conjuring: Last Rites with $1.57 million in eighth place in its seventh week. Climbing up the charts but still very much in bomb territory is After The Hunt in its second week, taking ninth with $1.55 million after rolling out in a wide release from its limited premiere in six theaters, netting $158k. It’s -C CinemaScore, though, is likely to keep it from crawling any higher, sadly.

Tenth was taken in a tie between Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle and Soul on Fire, each with $1.3 million in a next and next finish. While Demon Slayer takes a bow, likely soon to end its domestic theatrical run with a whopping $131.17 million, Soul on Fire dies down with a total after its sophomore outing of $5.54 million for the small faith-centric film, just reaching high enough to taste the top five.

Continuing a trend from last week, limited indie releases have continued to show promise, especially among the international ones with the US premieres. This week, it was It Was Just an Accident from Iran, following a family as they struggle with grappling their desire for vengeance and inner peace, made $68k from just three theaters, with distribution being handled by Neon. Another small release in just five theaters netting $104k is Mastermind from MUBI, and after the well-received premiere for If I Had Legs I’d Kick You from A24 in just four theaters, an additional 21 were added, helping the film rocket up and snag $171k for a total of $308k. Whether A24 intends to make a wider release has yet to be seen.

At the bottom of the chart, coming twenty-third from Sony is Blue Moon, which is the inverse of that premiering in a reported 3,360 theaters only netted $63k, though it should be noted the official release date is set as October 24th, so these are likely preview numbers getting a head start.

The weekend box office numbers are as follows:

1. Black Phone 2 Weekend $26.5M Total $26.5M Week 1

2. Tron: Ares Weekend $11.14M Total $54.57M Week 2

3. Good Fortune Weekend $6.2M Total $6.2M Week 1

4. One Battle After Another Weekend $4M Total $61.9M Week 4

5. Roofman Weekend $3.7M Total $15.51M Week 2

6. Truth & Treason Weekend $2.72M Total $2.72M Week 1

7. Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie Weekend $1.65M Total $29.93M Week 4

8. The Conjuring: Last Rites Weekend $1.57M Total $175.43M Week 7

9. After the Hunt Weekend $1.55M Total $1.77M Week 2

10. Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Infinity Castle Weekend $1.3M $131.17M Week 6

10. Soul on Fire $1.3M Week $5.54M Week 2

Notables

18. If I Had Legs I’d Kick You Weekend $171K Total $308K Week 2

21. The Mastermind Weekend $104,215 Theaters 5 Total $104,215 Week 1

22. It Was Just an Accident Weekend $68K Total $115,000 Week 1

23. Blue Moon Weekend $63K Total $63k Week ?