It’s good for theaters when a smaller-budget non-franchise film opens to $12 million, as Mel Gibson’s “Flight Risk” (Lionsgate) did this weekend. It’s a problem when that’s enough to make it the weekend’s top gross.
This was also the post-Oscar nominations week, although the delay in their announcement disrupted distributor strategies to capitalize on them. Two — “A Complete Unknown” (Searchlight) and “The Brutalist” (A24), the latter expanding to 1,118 theaters — placed in the top 10.
Among limited runs, “Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story” (Zeitgeist) with $19,000 at Manhattan’s IFC Center had the best initial showing for a platformed documentary in some time. Liza Minnelli’s fans and more turned out for what could be a niche success.
Mel Gibson’s first film as a director since “Hacksaw Ridge” in 2016 is his weakest grosser. His prior five titles grossed close to $1 billion in adjusted box office, more than half of that from “The Passion of the Christ.” “Flight Risk” received a C Cinemascore along with career-worst reviews for a Gibson-directed film (38 on Metacritic), which suggests this will end up around $25 million for its domestic run.
Little else was new this weekend, with three of the top five titles at least six weeks old. Only “Den of Thieves 2: Pantera” (also Lionsgate) opened over $12 million. A lack of releases isn’t to blame; six films opened wide in 2025 to date, compared to five in 2024. Last year saw two January films (“Mean Girls” and “The Beekeeper”) open over $16 million.
Steven Soderbergh’s “Presence” (Neon) opened a year after its Sundance premiere to place #6 with $3.4 million. The supernatural thriller, filmed with a first-person perspective, was microbudget at a reported $2 million. With a conventional multiple, it could gross $9 million or more. That would make it competitive for the highest domestic gross out of Sundance 2024. This should be a decent performer for Neon, which has all worldwide rights. For theaters, this is a minor player.
The weekend total of $67 million was up about 10 percent from last year. Year to date shows similar growth, but a quirk in the calendar (leap year 2024 means one less full weekend is in the comparable total) make actual improvement smaller. The month will come in around $600 million, similar to 2024 but far below the pre-Covid norm.
Helping this weekend was the Oscar nomination delay; about $10 million came from all contenders. The 215-minute “The Brutalist” (A24) took in a little under $3 million in 1,118 theaters; at $2,570 per-theater, it’s a modest result considering the Oscar push.
“A Complete Unknown” (Searchlight) had the best hold in the top 10, down 17 percent at #8 with $3.1 million. Theater exclusive at $62 million, the total will grow. Just out of the top 10, #1 VOD title “Wicked” (Universal) grossed $2.4 million. Brazilian drama “I’m Still Here” (Sony Pictures Classics) added 12 theaters to reach 17, with $240,000 in estimated gross and around $14,000 per theater — a promising result.
Most contenders are on VOD, some already streaming, so theatrical benefits are secondary. Among them is “Nickel Boys” (Amazon MGM) which grossed only $340,000 in 540 theaters. “September 5” (Paramount), which is up for Best Screenplay, did better by comparison with $770,000 in 395 theaters.
“Wolf Man” (Universal) collapsed in its second weekend (off 69 percent), but otherwise holdovers were strong. In its second weekend, “One of Them Days” (Sony) dropped 32 percent for #3 with $8 million, another lower-budget original film showing strength. At #2 is “Mufasa: The Lion King” and #5 “Moana 2” (both Disney); each fell only 28 percent deep into their runs. “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” (Paramount) dropped 36 percent as it debuted on PVOD.
“Brave the Dark” a 2023 film festival title about a troubled teen acquired by Angel, failed to make the top 10; it opened in 2,200 theaters for a little over $2.5 million. GKids opened “The White Colors”; the Japanese anime managed $378,000 in 570 theaters.
Next week sees the animated “Dog Man” (Universal), which should open to over $20 million. It can’t come a minute too soon.
Top 10
1. Flight Risk (Lionsgate) NEW – Cinemascore: C; Metacritic: 38; Est. budget: $25 million
$12,000,000 in 3,161 theaters; PTA (per theater average): $3,796; Cumulative: $12,000,000
2. Mufasa: The Lion King (Disney) Week 6; Last weekend #1
$8,700,000 (-28%) in 3,420 (-135) theaters; PTA: $2,544; Cumulative: $221,073,000
3. One of Them Days (Sony) Week 2; Last weekend #2
$8,000,000 (-32%) in 2,675 (no change) theaters; PTA: $2,991; Cumulative: $25,091,000
4. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (Paramount) Week 6; Last weekend #4; also on PVOD
$5,500,000 (-36%) in 3,097 (-209) theaters; PTA: $1,776; Cumulative: $226,096,000
5. Moana 2 (Disney) Week 9; Last weekend #6
$4,300,000 (-28%) in 2,550 (-275) theaters; PTA: $1,686; Cumulative: $450,041,000
6. Presence (Neon) NEW – Cinemascore: C+; Metacritic: 78; Est. budget: $2 million
$3,415,000 in 1,750 theaters; PTA: $1,951; Cumulative: $3,415,000
7. Wolf Man (Universal) Week 2; Last weekend #3
$3,400,000 (-69%) in 3,354 (no change) theaters; PTA: $1,014; Cumulative: $17,810,000
8. A Complete Unknown (Searchlight) Week 5; Last weekend #8
$3,100,000 (-17%) in 2,010 (-490) theaters; PTA: $1,542; Cumulative: $62,947,000
9. Den of Thieves 2: Pantera (Lionsgate) Week 3; Last weekend #2
$3,000,000 (-55%) in 2,108 (-900) theaters; PTA: $1,423; Cumulative: $31,851,000
10. The Brutalist (A24) Week 6; Last weekend # 10
$2,873,000 in 1,118 (+780) theaters; PTA: $2,570; Cumulative: $9,334,000
Other specialized/independent titles
Films (limited, expansions of limited) are listed by week in release, starting with those opened this week; after the first three weeks, only films with grosses over $5,000 are listed. Metacritic scores and initial film festivals recorded when available. After week two, per theater averages only listed for expanding films with under 100 theaters.
OPENING (platform)
Brave the Dark (Angel) NEW – Cinemascore: A; Festivals include: Heartland 2023
$2,568,000 in 2,230 theaters; PTA: $1,151
The Colors Within (GKids) NEW – Metacritic: 74; Festivals include: Annecy 2024
$378,022 in 570 theaters; PTA: $663
Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story (Zeitgeist) NEW – Metacritic: 70; Festivals include: Tribeca 2024
$19,000 in 1 theater; PTA: $19,000
Inheritance (IFC) NEW – Metacritic: 55; Festivals include:
$132,222 in 627 theaters; PTA: $211
HOLDOVERS
I’m Still Here (Sony Pictures Classics) Week 2
$240,131 at 17 (+12) theaters; PTA: $14,125; Cumulative: $434,269
The Last Showgirl (Roadside Attractions) Week 3
$360,800 in 390 (-556) theaters; Cumulative: $4,088,000
Hard Truths (Bleecker Street) Week 3
$166,053 in 542 (+332) theaters; Cumulative: $619,578
Nosferatu (Focus) Week 5; also on PVOD
$2,050,000 in 2,545 (-247) theaters; Cumulative: $93,202,000
Babygirl (A24) Week 5
$891,596 in 1,460 (-427) theaters; Cumulative: $27,156,000
Vermiglio (Sideshow/Janus) Week 5
$16,200 in 14 (+3) theaters; Cumulative: $129,831
The Room Next Door (Sony Pictures Classics) Week 6
$263,798 in 335 (-526) theaters; Cumulative: $1,979,000
Nickel Boys (MGM Amazon) Week 6
$340,171 in 540 (+300) theaters; Cumulative: $1,506,000
September 5 (Paramount) Week 6
$770,000 in 395 (-274) theaters; Cumulative: $1,694,000
The Seed of the Sacred Fig (Neon) Week 8
$25,000 in 16 (-4) theaters; Cumulative: $486,934
Flow (Janus/Sideshow) Week 9; also on VOD 325
$170,600 in 221 (-104) theaters; Cumulative: $3,716,000
All We Imagine as Light (Janus/Sideshow) Week 10
$48,700 in 48 (+14) theaters; Cumulative: $983,532
Conclave (Focus) Week 13; also on VOD and streaming
$90,000 in 310 (-232) theaters; Cumulative: $31,910,000
A Real Pain (Searchlight) Week 13; also on VOD
$76,000 in 180 (+125) theaters; Cumulative: $8,230,000
Soundtrack to a Coup D’Etat (Kino Lorber) Week 13
$11,614 in 7 (-6) theaters; Cumulative: $245,023
Anora (Neon) Week 14; also on PVOD
$135,500 in 317 (-219) theaters; Cumulative: $15,064,000
The Substance (MUBI) Week 19; also streaming and on VOD
$ in 352 (-159) theaters; Cumulative: