There’s always that movie in August that becomes the definitive title to see for the rest of summer, i.e. Guardians of the Galaxy, Free Guy, etc. and this year, it’s New Line‘s Weapons.
Yesterday, the Zach Cregger movie, did $5.2M which is the most a horror film has ever done on a Monday in August, besting Sixth Sense‘s $4.35M and New Line’s Annabelle: Creation‘s $3.6M. Weapons is also arguably the best opening for a horror movie in August with $43.5M (Sorry, The Meg is a shark movie, whole different type of genre).
While $5.2M might seem small from a weekday point of a view especially during the summer, it’s very notable for a horror movie. Weapons’ Monday, though under Sinners’ $7.8M first Monday, is higher than the first Mondays of R-rated Final Destination: Bloodlines ($5M), Get Out ($4.1M), 28 Years Later ($2.8M) and even the PG-13 rated Five Nights at Freddy’s ($4M).
Today is looking to be around $7M for the Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, Benedict Wong and Alden Ehrenreich feature, which is higher than the Tuesdays of Get Out ($4.9M) and Final Destination: Bloodlines ($6.1M). This weekend, the most conservative estimate is a -50%. ease so around $21M for the Cregger title. Whether there’s a greater horror phenomenon going on with Weapons ala the second weekend holds of Sinners (-5%) or Get Out (-15%), we’ll know once we’re in the throes of Friday-Sunday.
Also, props here to Warner Bros global distribution boss Jeff Goldstein for moving the New Line made Weapons to the second weekend of August from its original date of MLK 2026. I also understand Cregger championed for a summer date. Rather than having a box office hit later, the overall late summer marketplace is significantly richer with Weapons sharing the marquee with Freakier Friday. Previously, Warner Bros had Legendary’s Ryan Reynolds produced and voiced animation live-action hybrid Animal Friends on Aug. 15 (the studio obtaining the title from Sony); that comedy now opening on May 1, 2026.
Universal’s Nobody 2 starring Bob Odenkirk is the only major studio wide entry this coming weekend, eyeing a start north of $10M+ at 3,200 theaters. The first 87North action movie bowed to $6.8M back in March 2021 just as theaters were reopening coast to coast, finaling at $27.5M stateside. Nobody 2 is prime with older guys with solid total awareness and definite interest climbing.
