It is good for theaters when a smaller budget non-franchise film opens to $12 million, like Mel Gibson’s “flight risk” (Lionsgate) did this weekend. That’s a problem when it’s enough to make it the weekend’s top grosser.
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 Amazing Absolutely True Story” (zeitgeist) with $19,000 at Manhattan’s IFC Center had the best initial showing for a platform documentary in some time. Liza Minnelli 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 previous five titles amassed close to $1 billion in adjusted earnings cash officemore than half of it from the “Passion of Christ.” “Flight risk” Earned a C Cinemascore along with career-worthy reviews for a Gibson-directed film (38 on Metacritic), suggesting 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. Assuming the three-day actual doesn’t rise, the $12 million opening will be an all-time low for January (barring the covid-mutated 2021). The lack of releases is not to blame; Six films have opened in 2025 so far, compared to five in 2024. Last year, two January films (“Mean Girls” and “The Beekeeper”) saw over $16 million.
Steven Soderbergh’s “Presence” (Neon) opened a year after its Sundance premiere to place No. 6 with $3.4 million. The supernatural thriller, shot from a first-person perspective, was microbudgeted at a reported $2 million. With a conventional multiple, it could gross $9 million or more. That would make it competitive too Top domestic gross from Sundance 2024. This should be a decent performer for Neon, which has all the world areas. 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 (the 2024 leap year means one less full weekend is in the comparable total) makes actual improvements smaller. The month will come in at about $600 million, similar to 2024 but well below the pre-covid norm.
Helping this weekend was the Oscar nomination delay; About $10 million came from all the contenders. 215-minute “The Brutalist” (A24) grossed just under $3 million in 1,118 theaters; At $2,570 per theater, that’s a modest result considering the Oscar push.
“A Complete Unknown” (Searchlight) had the best hold in the top 10, down 17 percent at No. 8 with $3.1 million. Theatrical exclusive to $62 million, the total will grow. Out of the top 10 alone, #1 VOD title “Wicked” (Universal) collected $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 about $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 collected only $340,000 in 540 theaters. “September 5th” (Paramount), which is up for best screenplay, did better in comparison with $770,000 in 395 theaters.
“Wolf Man” (Universal) collapsed in its second weekend (off 69 percent), but otherwise holds were strong. In its second weekend, “One of Those Days” (Sony) dropped 32 percent for No. 3 with $8 million, another lower-budget original showing strength. At #2 are “Mufasa: The Lion King” and #5 “Moana 2” (both Disney); Each dropped just 28 percent deep on their drives. “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” (Paramount) dropped 36 percent when it debuted on PVOD.
“Brave the Dark” a 2023 film festival about a troubled teenager acquired by Angel, failed to make the top 10; It opened in 2,200 theaters to just 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 No. 1
$8,700,000 (-28%) in 3,420 (-135) theaters; PTA: $2,544; Cumulative: $221,073,000
3. One of those days (Sony) Week 2; Last weekend No. 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. Attendance (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. Werewolf (Universal) week 2; Last weekend No. 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; PTAs: $1,542; Cumulative: $62,947,000
9. DEN OF THIEVES 2: PANTHER (Lionsgate) Week 3; Last weekend No. 2
$3,000,000 (-55%) in 2,108 (-900) theaters; PTAs: $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
Movies (limited, expansions of limited) are listed by week of release, starting with those that opened this week; After the first three weeks, only films grossing over $5,000 are listed. Metacritic scores and initial film festivals recorded when available. After week two, per theater count only listed to expand films with under 100 theaters.
OPENING (platform)
Brave brave (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 amazing absolutely true story (Zeitgeist) New – Metacritic: 70; Festivals include: Tribeca 2024
$19,000 in 1 theater; PTA: $19,000
Heritage (IFC) New – Metacritic: 55; Festivals include:
$132,222 in 627 theaters; PTA: $211
Transition
I’m still here (Sony Pictures Classics) Week 2
$240,131 at 17 (+12) theaters; PTA: $14,125; Cumulative: $434,269
The last showgirl (Road 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
Nosfera (Focus) week 5; Also on PVOD
$2,050,000 in 2,545 (-247) theaters; Cumulative: $93,202,000
Baby grill (A24) Week 5
$891,596 in 1,460 (-427) theaters; Cumulative: $27,156,000
Cinnabar (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
Everything we imagine as easy (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
$76,000 180 (+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
Aor (Neon) Week 14; Also on PVOD
$135,500 in 317 (-219) theaters; Cumulative: $15,064,000
The subject (Mubi) week 19; also streaming and on VOD
$ in 352 (-159) theaters; Cumulative:
