Even as overall ticket sales continue to trail pre-pandemic norms, horror once again proved to be the most reliable draw for audiences. Universal and Blumhouse’s Black Phone 2 dominated the weekend box office with a solid $26.5 million debut from 3,411 theaters, easily topping a quiet October frame in North America.
The sequel’s performance arrives amid a sluggish market that’s still down roughly 11% compared to the same period in 2024, according to Comscore. While year-to-date revenues remain 4% higher than last year, they’re still more than 20% shy of pre-2020 levels. With few major new titles in release, Black Phone 2 scared up a needed jolt of energy for exhibitors.
Weekend Top 5 at a Glance
Black Phone 2 (Universal) — $26.5 million (3,411 theaters, $7,769 avg)
Tron: Ares (Walt Disney) — $11.1 million (4,000 theaters, -66%)
Good Fortune (Lionsgate) — $6.2 million (2,990 theaters, $2,074 avg)
One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.) — $3.75 million (2,532 theaters)
Roofman (Paramount Pictures) — $3.7 million (3,370 theaters, -54%)
Together, the top five generated just over $51 million, underlining how the season’s lack of major tentpoles has left room for genre offerings and prestige titles to carve their own space.
1. Black Phone 2: A Chilling Win for Blumhouse
Directed once again by Scott Derrickson and produced by Jason Blum, Black Phone 2 follows the haunting success of the 2022 original, which opened with $23 million at a time when theaters were still recovering from COVID. Three years later, the sequel’s $26.5 million bow shows horror’s staying power — particularly in a season with limited competition.
Universal’s marketing leaned heavily on nostalgia and seasonal atmosphere, with campaign taglines promising “a new call from the other side.” That paid off: the per-theater average of $7,769 marks one of October’s stronger genre openings in recent memory.
Given the film’s mid-range budget typical of Blumhouse productions (reportedly under $40 million), Black Phone 2 is already well-positioned for profitability. The real test will be its second-weekend hold — horror titles often dip 55-60%, but if this one lands in the low 50s, it could finish north of $70 million domestically.
2. Tron: Ares Faces the Sequel Slump
In contrast, Disney’s Tron: Ares stumbled in its sophomore frame with $11.1 million, down 66% from its debut. The big-budget sci-fi sequel, which cost a reported $180 million to produce and tens of millions more to market, has earned $54.6 million domestically and $103 million worldwide to date.
While crossing the $100 million mark is a milestone, the economics are grim. Analysts estimate Ares would need at least $450 million globally to break even after marketing and exhibitor cuts. The sharp drop suggests word-of-mouth is lukewarm, echoing what many post-pandemic sequels have faced — strong opening weekends followed by steep declines.
Still, the Tron brand carries a loyal fan base, and Disney is banking on international markets and premium formats to help mitigate losses. But with expensive IPs under scrutiny, Ares underscores how blockbuster economics have become increasingly volatile in 2025.
3. Good Fortune: A Modest Start for Lionsgate’s Comedy
Lionsgate’s Good Fortune debuted at $6.2 million from 2,990 venues — a lukewarm start for an R-rated comedy hoping to attract adult audiences. Its per-theater average of just over $2,000 reflects the broader challenge facing mid-budget comedies in theatrical release.
The film’s premise — a karmic twist of fate that flips the life of an egotistical businessman — may find a second life through word-of-mouth or streaming, but its theatrical legs look limited. For comparison, last month’s Fly Me to the Moon opened higher but faded fast. Unless Good Fortune shows strong weekday holds, it’s likely headed for a short theatrical run before a quick PVOD turnaround.
4. One Battle After Another: Prestige, Not Profit
Paul Thomas Anderson’s ensemble epic One Battle After Another continued its steady march, earning $3.75 million in its fourth weekend for a domestic total of roughly $61 million. Overseas, it has amassed $100 million, bringing the global tally to $162.5 million.
While that sounds impressive, the Warner Bros. film reportedly cost $130 million to make and about $70 million to market. At that scale, even a $160 million global gross leaves it well short of profitability. However, executives at the studio view it as a prestige asset — the kind that can secure critical awards attention and bolster the studio’s artistic reputation.
For an R-rated, nearly three-hour original story, One Battle After Another’s box office is commendable, proving that adult-driven dramas can still draw consistent audiences over multiple weeks.
5. Roofman: A Small Film Fighting for Air
Channing Tatum’s dramedy Roofman rounded out the top five with $3.7 million, dropping 54% from its debut. Its domestic total stands at $15.5 million and worldwide at $16.4 million — modest figures against a lean $18 million budget.
While unlikely to turn a significant theatrical profit, Roofman is expected to perform well on streaming platforms, where Tatum’s fan base and lighter tone could boost viewership. For Paramount, it represents the kind of lower-risk title that maintains relationships with talent and fills release slots between tentpoles.
The State of the Box Office: October in Transition
The October marketplace remains a mixed picture. Comscore data shows the month’s cumulative domestic revenue running 11% below the same point in 2024. Year-to-date grosses are 4% higher than last year but 20% below pre-pandemic averages.
The underlying issue isn’t audience disinterest but content supply. With studios spacing releases further apart and relying heavily on known IP, weekends like this one — anchored by a mid-budget horror film — reveal both the fragility and resilience of the current theatrical model.
Genre fare (Black Phone 2, Truth and Treason) continues to outperform cost-to-return expectations, while nine-figure productions like Tron: Ares demonstrate the high stakes of blockbuster spending in a market still stabilizing.
Looking Ahead
Next weekend will test whether Black Phone 2 can hold its lead as new releases enter the fray, including Yorgos Lanthimos’s Bugonia and the family adventure Predator: Badlands. For Disney, the priority will be slowing Ares’s decline, while Lionsgate hopes Good Fortune finds longer legs.
The late-October slate is crucial: it bridges the gap before the November rush of awards contenders and major franchise releases. If audiences stay engaged through Halloween, the final quarter of 2025 could end stronger than expected.
A Weekend of Contrasts
This weekend’s box office paints a clear picture of the post-pandemic theatrical landscape: low-to-mid-budget genre films can thrive, while expensive sequels are increasingly difficult to justify without stellar word-of-mouth or event-level buzz.
Black Phone 2’s success underscores the enduring draw of horror — reliable, cost-effective, and audience-responsive. Tron: Ares’s steep drop, meanwhile, reminds studios that spectacle alone can no longer guarantee survival.
As studios recalibrate for 2026, the winners will likely be those who spend smart, market precisely, and understand what audiences actually want to pay to see — especially when the phone rings from the dark.
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