Spider-Man: Brand New Day extends its reign while Coyote vs. Acme and Buddy prove strong word of mouth can still move the needle.
The summer movie season ended on a historic high as Spider-Man: Brand New Day remained the undisputed king of the domestic box office. Tom Holland’s latest Marvel adventure earned an estimated $18 million over the three-day Labor Day weekend, giving it six consecutive weekends at No. 1.
It is only the second film this decade to lead the domestic chart for six straight weekends. Avatar: The Way of Water previously accomplished the feat after opening in theaters in 2022.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day has now earned more than $917 million domestically and approximately $2.4 billion worldwide. The film is closing in on Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which holds the unadjusted domestic box-office record with $936.7 million.
Sony’s blockbuster is expected to surpass that total soon. Its continued success also helped close out one of the biggest summer movie seasons in box-office history.
According to Screen Dollars, August delivered an all-time domestic record. The entire summer season is projected to finish around $4.76 billion, narrowly passing the previous record set in 2013. However, higher ticket prices and a longer summer reporting period make direct comparisons between the two years difficult.
The Odyssey Continues Its Incredible Journey
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey remained firmly in second place with an estimated $13 million. The epic has earned approximately $585 million domestically and $1.63 billion worldwide.
More than $1 billion of its total has come from international markets. It became the first original, nonsequel or remake to reach that overseas milestone since James Cameron’s Avatar.
The film’s staying power remains just as impressive as its enormous opening. The Odyssey has spent nearly two months in theaters but continues to outperform most newer releases. Its success proves audiences will support an ambitious theatrical experience when the scale and presentation feel worthy of the big screen.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day and The Odyssey have become the defining box-office story of the summer. One is a massive superhero sequel built around a globally recognized character. The other is a filmmaker-driven adaptation of an ancient epic. Together, they gave audiences two very different reasons to return to theaters.
Coyote vs. Acme Becomes the Comeback Story
Coyote vs. Acme delivered the weekend’s most satisfying hold. The Looney Tunes movie earned $11.3 million in its second weekend, dropping only 29% from its opening.
The film has now collected approximately $33.8 million domestically. Ketchup Entertainment acquired it for around $50 million after Warner Bros. Discovery previously decided not to release the completed movie.
Strong reviews and audience word of mouth appear to be keeping Wile E. Coyote on the road. The film still has work to do financially, but its modest second-weekend decline makes it one of the weekend’s clear winners.
The response also shows how much interest existed before the movie finally reached theaters. Years of headlines surrounding its canceled release turned Coyote vs. Acme into something audiences wanted to support. Now, people are keeping it alive through actual ticket sales.
Buddy Finds a Growing Audience
Buddy delivered another surprise, increasing its business during its second weekend. The dark horror comedy earned $5.7 million, up 5% from its opening, and reached $14.3 million domestically.
The film reportedly cost only $3 million to produce, making its performance even more impressive. Second-weekend increases are rare, especially for smaller genre releases without the marketing power of a major studio franchise.
Director Casper Kelly’s twisted take on children’s television has clearly connected with horror audiences. Its unusual premise and positive word of mouth have allowed it to stand apart in a crowded marketplace.
Buddy’s success also reminds us that horror remains one of the most dependable theatrical genres. A strong concept and controlled budget can create a profitable hit without requiring blockbuster numbers.
By Any Means Opens Below Expectations
By Any Means debuted in fourth place with $7.4 million over the three-day weekend. Paramount projected approximately $9.2 million across the extended holiday frame.
The historical crime thriller stars Mark Wahlberg and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. It follows the FBI’s controversial decision to work with the Mafia while investigating the murders of civil rights workers in Mississippi.
Audiences gave the film a B+ CinemaScore, which could help it find some stability. Still, the opening represents a soft start for a wide release led by two recognizable stars.
The movie couldn’t overtake Coyote vs. Acme in its second weekend or challenge the much older Spider-Man: Brand New Day and The Odyssey. It will need strong weekday business and a favorable hold to avoid disappearing quickly.
Onslaught Suffers the Weekend’s Biggest Defeat
A24’s Onslaught became the clearest loser of the weekend. The Adam Wingard-directed action thriller opened with only $1.9 million from 1,918 theaters.
Its four-day total was projected to reach approximately $2.3 million. While its reported $15 million budget keeps the financial damage from becoming disastrous, the theatrical launch failed to generate much interest.
The film stars Adria Arjona as a former Army sniper defending her home from escaped experimental soldiers. Reviews were mixed, while audiences gave it a C CinemaScore. Neither response suggests a major turnaround is coming.
Onslaught did not place among the domestic top 10 despite opening in nearly 2,000 locations. Premium video-on-demand could eventually help the film recoup some costs, but its theatrical run is unlikely to last long.
Cars Races Back Into the Top 10
Disney and Pixar’s Cars returned to theaters for its 20th anniversary and earned an estimated $6.1 million. The rerelease finished ahead of several current films and landed in sixth place.
Its performance is another win for repertory programming. Families showed they were willing to purchase tickets for a movie readily available at home when theaters turned its anniversary into an event.
The weekend offered a fitting snapshot of the modern box office. Massive franchises still lead the industry, but recognizable library titles and low-budget original movies can also succeed when presented to the right audience.
Domestic Box Office Top 10
The weekend belonged to proven theatrical attractions, but its biggest stories were not limited to billion-dollar blockbusters. Coyote vs. Acme maintained momentum after its long road to theaters, while Buddy turned a small budget and strange concept into a genuine success.
Meanwhile, By Any Means faces an uphill battle after a quiet opening, and Onslaught may already be headed toward a short theatrical run. With the summer season ending on a record-setting note, the fall box office now has the difficult task of maintaining that momentum.
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Sean Tajipour
Sean Tajipour is the Founder and Editor of Nerdtropolis and the host of the Moviegoers Society and Reel Insights Podcast. He is also a member of the Critics Choice Association. You can follow on Twitter and Instagram @Seantaj.
