Halloween Weekend Sees Unprecedented Box Office Trends
Halloween weekend proved to be a challenging time for movie theaters in 2025. Major studios opted not to release any new films, leading to a historically low-performing box office. The weekend saw a significant drop in revenue and a lack of fresh content for audiences.
Unprecedented Box Office Trends Over Halloween Weekend
Notably, no film surpassed $10 million in gross sales. The top contenders were the horror sequel Black Phone 2 and the romantic drama Regretting You. Each managed to earn approximately $8 million in their respective third and second weekends.
Box Office Rankings
- 1. Black Phone 2 – $8 million
- 2. Regretting You – $8 million
- 3. Chainsaw Man: The Movie – $5 million
- 4. KPop Demon Hunters (Netflix re-release) – $5 million
- 5. Bugonia – $5 million
- 6. Back to the Future (anniversary re-release) – $4.7 million
- 7. Good Fortune – $4 million
- 8. Tron: Ares – $4 million
- 9. Stitch Head – $2 million
- 10. Deliver Me From Nowhere – $3 million
The most prominent horror film was Black Phone 2, which, given the timing of Halloween, may have suggested a significant desire for horror-themed cinema. However, the lack of new live-action horror films led many viewers to consider streaming options instead.
Return of Classics and Other Factors
Among the unusual occurrences was the success of the anniversary re-release of Back to the Future, which outperformed several newer titles. This trend, combined with the presence of animated films like Chainsaw Man and KPop Demon Hunters, highlighted an atypical weekend for box office trends.
Factors influencing this unusual weekend included Halloween falling on a Friday, alongside a major sporting event that kept potential moviegoers at home. Consequently, theater operators are now eager for upcoming significant releases.
Looking Ahead
This past weekend marked the lowest-grossing box office period of 2025, reflecting broader patterns in theaters. With comparisons to previous Octobers revealing this as the worst since 1997 (excluding 2020), anticipation grows for upcoming films like Predator: Badlands, The Running Man, and Wicked: For Good.
The industry remains hopeful that next releases will rejuvenate interest and bring audiences back into theaters for a more traditional Halloween experience.
