This past weekend, the film industry welcomed a mix of new titles, but *Send Help* stood out, dominating the box office. Directed by renowned filmmaker Sam Raimi, this horror movie opened to an impressive $20 million, making it the fifth feature in Raimi’s career to achieve a score above 90% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Send Help: A Successful Opening
*Send Help* not only marks a strong return for Raimi but also signifies a notable height in his non-franchise work. Previous successful title *Drag Me To Hell* had an opening of $15.8 million, while *Send Help* demonstrates a growing trend for original horror films. Given its favorable word-of-mouth, the weekend numbers suggest that this new entrant will likely surpass *Drag Me To Hell’s* ultimate earnings.
So far, *Send Help* has grossed $28.1 million globally and continues to build momentum. If it manages to cross the $100 million mark worldwide, it could be declared a significant victory for 20th Century Studios.
Melania: Challenging Projections
In a surprising second-place debut, the documentary *Melania*, directed by Brett Ratner, opened at $7 million across 1,778 theaters. Despite claims of being one of the best documentary openings in recent memory, the film still trails behind several notable documentaries, including Disney’s *Chimpanzee* and BTS’s *Yet to Come in Cinemas*.
To turn a profit, *Melania* must clear $40 million, which includes the hefty production and marketing expenses. The film’s current trajectory suggests that it may struggle to reach its financial goals.
Iron Lung: A Strong Showing
In third place, the video game adaptation *Iron Lung*, directed by YouTuber Mark Fischbach, opened to $17.9 million. With a production budget of less than $3 million, this self-financed film is already considered a significant success. Its high earnings illustrate the potential for independent creators in the competitive box office landscape.
Continuing Success for Zootopia 2 and Avatar: Fire and Ash
- *Zootopia 2* continues its strong run, earning $5.8 million this weekend, bringing its domestic total to $408.9 million.
- *Avatar: Fire and Ash* followed closely, collecting $5.5 million and totaling $386.1 million.
Overall Box Office Results
The complete box office results for the weekend are as follows:
| Film Title | Weekend Gross | Total Gross |
|---|---|---|
| Send Help | $20.0 million | $20.0 million |
| Iron Lung | $17.9 million | $17.9 million |
| Melania | $7.0 million | $7.0 million |
| Zootopia 2 | $5.8 million | $408.9 million |
| Avatar: Fire and Ash | $5.5 million | $386.1 million |
| Shelter | $5.5 million | $5.5 million |
| Mercy | $4.7 million | $19.4 million |
| The Housemaid | $3.5 million | $120.6 million |
| Marty Supreme | $2.9 million | $90.8 million |
| 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple | $1.6 million | $23.6 million |
This weekend’s box office results highlight the diverse options available to audiences, with *Send Help* leading the way amid challenging competition.
