Labor Day Weekend Box Office Highlights
Hollywood experienced a quiet Labor Day holiday weekend, marked by limited excitement at the box office. Warner Bros.’ horror film “Weapons” secured the top position, while the 50-year-old classic “Jaws” outperformed two new contenders, “Caught Stealing” and “The Roses,” which did not make a significant impact.
Top Performers
After briefly losing its No. 1 status to Netflix’s “Kpop Demon Hunters,” “Weapons” reclaimed its crown, bringing in an estimated $12.8 million during the four-day holiday. To date, the film has grossed $135 million domestically and $235.2 million globally, a remarkable achievement considering its production budget of $38 million. This success continues a winning streak for Warner Bros., which has recently celebrated hits like “A Minecraft Movie,” “Sinners,” “Final Destination Bloodlines,” “F1: The Movie,” and “Superman.” The positive results signify a welcome turnaround for studio executives Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy, who faced scrutiny following the box office struggles of “Mickey 17” and “Joker: Folie à Deux.”
In second place, Steven Spielberg’s iconic “Jaws,” celebrating its 50th anniversary, garnered $9.9 million after Universal re-released the film in 3,200 theaters, bringing its domestic total to $283.6 million.
New Releases
Coming in third, the crime thriller “Caught Stealing,” directed by Darren Aronofsky and featuring Austin Butler and Zoe Kravitz, earned $9.6 million over the holiday weekend. This lukewarm reception highlights the challenges faced by R-rated films aimed at adult audiences in a marketplace increasingly driven by franchise films and family-friendly offerings. The film had a production budget of $40 million.
Meanwhile, the weekend’s other major new release, Searchlight’s satire “The Roses,” finished fifth with an estimated $8 million through Labor Day. Directed by Jay Roach and inspired by the 1981 novel “The War of the Roses” and its 1989 movie adaptation, the film follows a couple whose blissful marriage deteriorates, plunging them into a web of revenge. It features a star-studded cast including Benedict Cumberbatch, Olivia Colman, Andy Samberg, Allison Janney, and Kate McKinnon.
Fourth place was claimed by Disney’s sequel “Freakier Friday,” which raked in $8.3 million during the four-day period, contributing to a domestic total of $82.2 million.
Overall Box Office Performance
Labor Day typically ranks among the slowest weekends for ticket sales, and this year’s edition continued that trend. The overall box office revenue for the four-day stretch approximated $82 million, a 26% downturn compared to last year. Moviegoers will have to wait for the next major release, “Tron: Ares,” set to hit theaters on October 10.
