The box office this weekend was a mix of highs and lows, with some films exceeding expectations while others faced significant challenges. Leading the charge was Disney’s Captain America: Brave New World, which held onto the top spot despite a steep drop in its second weekend. However, the real story of the weekend belonged to Neon’s horror-comedy The Monkey, which carved out a strong opening and proved to be a standout performer. With its blend of humor and horror, The Monkey managed to chop its way to an impressive $5.8 million from 3,200 theaters on Friday and preview screenings, setting it up for a promising run.
The Monkey, directed by Osgood Perkins, is on track to deliver Neon’s second-biggest opening weekend ever, trailing only behind Perkins’ earlier horror hit, Longlegs, which broke out last summer. The film, an adaptation of a Stephen King story, follows two brothers played by Theo James as they navigate a devilish toy primate that seems to be causing chaos and death around them. While critics have praised the film, audiences have been more divided, with Cinema Score giving it a “C+” grade. However, horror films often skew lower in such polls, and as Longlegs demonstrated, even a middling grade doesn’t necessarily spell doom. That film went on to achieve a healthy 3.31x multiplier on its opening weekend, suggesting that The Monkey could have legs at the box office.
Given its modest production budget of around $10 million, The Monkey is already in a great position to turn a substantial profit. Neon’s strategy of investing in lower-budget, high-concept horror films continues to pay off, as the genre consistently delivers strong returns. Perkins and Neon are already looking ahead to their next collaboration, Keeper, which is scheduled for release in October. For now, though, The Monkey is enjoying the spotlight, offering a fresh take on the horror-comedy genre that seems to be resonating with fans of King’s work. The film’s success is a testament to the enduring appeal of horror and the power of well-executed genre storytelling.
At the top of the box office, Captain America: Brave New World continued to dominate, but its second-weekend performance told a different story. After a heroic $100 million opening over the President’s Day holiday, the film saw a significant decline. While it managed to add another $7.2 million on Friday, it’s on track for a steep drop that could mirror the 70% plunge experienced by Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania last year. That film, which also opened over Presidents’ Day weekend, ended up underperforming despite its strong start, failing to even double its opening weekend take. Should Brave New World follow a similar trajectory, it would be a disappointment for Marvel and Disney, especially given the negative reviews and underwhelming audience reception.
One of the most striking aspects of Brave New World’s performance is its Cinema Score grade, a “B-,” which marks one of the lowest audience scores for a Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film. Coupled with the negative critical reception, this suggests that the film is struggling to connect with viewers on the same level as previous entries in the franchise. While the MCU has been a reliable box office juggernaut, Brave New World’s shaky second-weekend performance raises questions about the sustainability of its theatrical run. It remains to be seen whether the film can recover from this slump, but for now, it’s clear that the buzz around Brave New World has been lackluster at best.
Outside of the top two, the box office was filled with familiar faces. Sony’s Paddington in Peru claimed third place, earning another $1.5 million on Friday and projecting a $6.5 million weekend, which would mark a 48% drop from its opening frame. This puts the film on pace with Paddington 2, which achieved similar numbers during its second weekend in 2017. The StudioCanal production is performing steadily, with an outside chance of crossing $25 million domestically by the end of its first 10 days. Given the enduring charm of the Paddington franchise, it’s no surprise that the film continues to attract audiences.
Meanwhile, Universal’s Dog Man held steady in fourth place, fetching $1.3 million on Friday and eyeing a $5.7 million weekend, a 41% decline from the previous week. The DreamWorks Animation caper is expected to hit $78 million in domestic grosses by Sunday, a solid performance for a film based on a popular book series. The success of Dog Man highlights the enduring appeal of family-friendly animated films and the power of source material with a built-in audience. Whether it can continue to hold strong in the coming weeks will depend on its ability to attract new viewers while retaining its existing fanbase.
Fifth place once again belonged to the Chinese blockbuster Ne Zha 2, which, despite a projected 63% drop in its second weekend, is still drawing attention. The epic has already crossed $1 billion in its native country, becoming the highest-grossing animated film ever and ranking among the global box office’s all-time top 10. Its U.S. performance, while modest compared to itsChinese haul, is icing on the cake for a film that has already achieved unprecedented success.
Finally, opening outside the top five was Lionsgate’s The Unbreakable Boy, a Zachary Levi drama that has been shelved for nearly three years. The film is looking to do $2.4 million this weekend from 1,687 theaters, a modest start for a project that has been in limbo for so long. While it may not make a significant splash at the box office, its release marks the end of a long journey for a film that has been waiting in the wings for far too long. Whether it finds its audience now that it’s finally in theaters remains to be seen.
