I've seen plenty of box office weekends where the theaters feel like ghost towns, especially as summer fades and the big tentpoles pack up. This one, though? It's got a peculiar twist that reminds me of those early streaming skirmishes back when Netflix first started flexing its muscles against traditional studios. Here we are in late August 2025, and ‘Weapons'—that sharp, R-rated horror from writer-director Zach Cregger—is holding firm with a $4.7 million Friday haul, down a respectable 37% from last week. It's crossed $105 million domestically now, slotting in as the 13th biggest release of the year. Not bad for an original that's been buzzing since its debut, dropping just 43% in its second weekend. But lurking in the wings is Netflix's ‘KPop Demon Hunters,' an animated musical that's been dominating the streamer's charts for over two months, sitting pretty as the second most-watched film ever on the platform.
What makes this interesting isn't just the numbers; it's the strategy shift. Netflix, which has long shunned theaters—remember CEO Ted Sarandos calling them “outdated” back in April?—is dipping its toes in with a sing-along version of ‘KPop Demon Hunters' hitting over 1,700 locations this Saturday and Sunday. Produced by Sony Pictures Animation before Netflix scooped it up, the film's got fans hungry enough to leave their couches, even though it's been available at home since early summer. If it pulls off a weekend win, it'd be Netflix's first-ever No. 1 theatrical opening, a hell of a milestone for a company that didn't even report grosses for ‘Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery' during its limited 600-theater run over Thanksgiving 2022. They're playing a bigger game this time, but will they brag about it? Doubtful, based on past form.
Elsewhere, the chart's a mix of holdovers and modest openers, underscoring how fragmented the market's become between theaters and streaming. Disney's ‘Freakier Friday,' the PG-rated sequel reuniting Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan, pulled in $2.8 million Friday, down 38%, eyeing around $70 million by Sunday's close in its third weekend. Not explosive, but steady—like a comfort watch in a sea of edgier fare. Then there's ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps' from Marvel Studios, adding $1.6 million with a 36% drop, pushing its domestic total to $252 million. Solid, if unsurprising, for the franchise machine.
Universal's got a couple in the fray too. ‘The Bad Guys 2,' the DreamWorks Animation sequel, is projecting $5.1 million in its fourth weekend—a 32% dip—hitting $66 million domestic through Sunday, mirroring the 2022 original's pace on its way to $97 million. But ‘Nobody 2,' the Bob Odenkirk actioner, isn't faring as well, eyeing $3.5 million in its second frame for a 62% fall, totaling $16.3 million. That's better than the first ‘Nobody,' which managed $11.8 million in the same window during the COVID-ravaged early 2021 market, but it stings for a sequel.
New arrivals are scraping by. Focus Features' ‘Honey Don't!,' a lesbian noir from co-writers Tricia Cooke and Ethan Coen, earned $1.4 million including previews after its Cannes premiere in May, projecting a $3.2 million opening in 1,417 theaters—beating their prior ‘Drive-Away Dolls' (also starring Margaret Qualley) which bowed to $2.4 million in 2024. Lukewarm reviews haven't helped, but it's carving a niche outside the top five. Bleecker Street's ‘Relay,' directed by David Mackenzie and starring Riz Ahmed and Lily James, is hoping for over $2 million in 1,483 spots after positive buzz from its Toronto Film Festival premiere last year. Vertical's ‘Eden,' Ron Howard's desert island thriller with Jude Law, Vanessa Kirby, Sydney Sweeney, and Ana de Armas, landed mediocre notices from the same 2024 Toronto fest and is debuting outside the top 10 in 664 venues.
Even A24's getting in on the animated re-release game with ‘Ne Zha II,' the Chinese mythological epic that first hit North America in February, grossing $20 million stateside before. This new English dub, voiced by Michelle Yeoh among others, opened in 2,228 locations but only mustered $690,000 Friday—slim pickings, though the film's already a global behemoth at over $2 billion worldwide, mostly from China.
It's a weekend that highlights the blurring lines: streaming giants testing theatrical waters, holdover horrors defying drops, and specialty films fighting for scraps. Makes you wonder if Netflix's theater flirtation is a one-off or the start of something bigger. Or maybe it's just fans craving that communal sing-along vibe in a dark room—something home viewing can't quite replicate.
Weekend Box Office: August 22–24, 2025
| Film | Studio | Friday Gross | Projected Weekend Gross | Domestic Total (Through Sunday) | Weekend Drop | Theater Count | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weapons | Warner Bros./New Line | $4.7M | $15M+ | $115.2M | -39% | 3,631 | Held No. 1 on Friday but faces challenge from ‘KPop Demon Hunters.' |
| KPop Demon Hunters | Netflix/Sony Animation | N/A | $15M+ | N/A | N/A | 1,700+ | Two-day sing-along event; 1,100+ screenings sold out. |
| Freakier Friday | Disney | $2.8M | $9M | $70.3M | -37% | 3,675 | Steady PG-rated hold in third weekend. |
| The Fantastic Four: First Steps | Disney/Marvel | $1.6M | $5.8M | $257.1M | -36% | 3,190 | Consistent Marvel performer in fifth weekend. |
| The Bad Guys 2 | Universal/DreamWorks | $1.28M | $5.1M | $66.1M | -32% | 3,288 | Strong hold, matching original's pace. |
| Nobody 2 | Universal | $1.05M | $3.5M | $16.3M | -62% | 3,282 | Sharp drop in second weekend. |
| Honey Don't! | Focus Features | $1.44M | $3.2M | $3.2M | N/A | 1,417 | Modest opening post-Cannes; outpaces prior Coen film. |
| Relay | Bleecker Street | $1M | $2M | $2M | N/A | 1,483 | TIFF premiere buzz yields limited debut. |
| Eden | Vertical/AGC Studios | $640K | $1.36M | $1.36M | N/A | 664 | Starry cast, mediocre TIFF reviews limit opening. |
| Ne Zha II | A24 | $690K | $1.4M | $20.9M (re-release) | N/A | 2,228 | English dub re-release underwhelms despite $2B global gross. |
Weekend Box Office Snapshots: What Stands Out This August
‘Weapons' Steady Grip: The horror film's minimal 37% Friday drop signals enduring appeal, pushing past $105 million and echoing the resilience of mid-budget originals in a blockbuster-heavy year.
Netflix's Theatrical Gamble: With ‘KPop Demon Hunters' in 1,700+ venues for a sing-along bow, the streamer's rare cinema push could mark a historic No. 1, challenging its own anti-theater stance from earlier this year.
Sequel Holds and Drops: Disney's ‘Freakier Friday' and ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps' show family-friendly staying power with sub-40% declines, while ‘Nobody 2' slides harder, highlighting action sequel risks.
Indie Openers' Mixed Fortunes: ‘Honey Don't!' edges out prior Coen efforts despite Cannes ambivalence, but ‘Relay' and ‘Eden' struggle post-Toronto, underscoring festival buzz's limited box office pull.
Global vs. Domestic Realities: ‘Ne Zha II's re-release underwhelms stateside at under $700K Friday, yet its $2B worldwide haul reminds us Hollywood isn't the only game in town.
What do you make of Netflix's theater play—smart pivot or desperate grab? Drop your thoughts in the comments, share this if it sparked something, and keep an eye on Filmofilia for the full weekend tallies.
