The box office has had its ups and downs over the years, but this year's Halloween weekend is shaping up to be particularly challenging. As the holiday approaches, many people look forward to a fun-filled celebration of spooky themes. However, for movie theaters, this year's All Hallows' Eve is proving to be a rather daunting time.
Halloween falls on a Friday this year, which has led Hollywood to avoid releasing any major studio films over the weekend. The only significant releases are the expansion of Yorgos Lanthimos' "Bugonia" starring Emma Stone and the 40th anniversary re-release of "Back to the Future." According to Box Office Theory, "Bugonia" is expected to earn between $1.5 million and $5 million, while "Back to the Future" could bring in $4 to $6.5 million.
In the absence of new big-name releases, theaters will rely on holdovers such as "Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere," "Chainsaw Man — The Movie: Reze Arc," "Shelby Oaks," and "Regretting You." These films are projected to perform in the over/under $20 million range, but on their second weekends, they may not exceed $10 million, depending on how well they hold up and how other films perform.
Netflix is also set to re-release its hit "KPop Demon Hunters" during the holiday. Although the streaming giant doesn't officially report box office numbers, it's likely to dominate again by default. Meanwhile, "Black Phone 2" is heading into its third weekend after a strong opening. Overall, the top film might barely surpass $10 million, with most others hovering around the $5 million mark. This scenario paints a bleak picture for the box office this Halloween.
Halloween rarely falls on a Friday, and when it does, it's typically not a high-performing weekend at the box office. The last time this occurred was in 2014, when "Ouija" topped the charts in its second weekend with $10.7 million, and Jack Gyllenhaal's thriller "Nightcrawler" opened to $10.4 million. At that time, there was broader interest in moviegoing, with 13 different films earning at least $2 million. "Annabelle" was still performing well, as were movies like "Gone Girl" and "John Wick," contributing to a total domestic weekend haul of $95 million.
In contrast, consider the weekend when "Novocaine" topped the charts with anemic earnings of $8.8 million in March. It was one of the worst box office weekends in decades, with the total domestic haul under $52 million as several movies failed. This Halloween, we can expect something similar, as going to the movies for the sake of going to the movies is no longer as prevalent.
Despite the challenges, there is always a chance for positive surprises. For example, Emma Stone and Yorgos Lanthimos' "Poor Things" was a massive success, earning $112 million and winning Oscars. Perhaps "Bugonia" will exceed expectations or "Shelby Oaks" could become the next "Longlegs." While these possibilities exist, they seem unlikely, even with critical support. More realistically, we should prepare for one of the worst box office weekends of 2025.
"Bugonia" will debut in select theaters on October 24, 2025, before expanding nationwide. If you're looking for the easiest way to stay updated on major movie and TV news, consider signing up for a free newsletter. You can also add us as a preferred search source on Google.
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