Dragon Reigns Box Office; Elio’s Historic Low for Pixar Debut

Weekend Box Office Report: Dragon Holds Strong, Pixar’s Elio Stumbles

The box office saw a familiar champion hold its ground this past weekend (June 20-22, 2025), as Universal’s live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon soared to the top spot for a second consecutive frame. Meanwhile, Disney and Pixar’s latest original animated feature, Elio, faced a tough landing, debuting in third place with a historically low opening for the acclaimed studio.

The live-action adaptation of How to Train Your Dragon, featuring the beloved character Toothless, continued its impressive run. It added an estimated $35 million to $37 million in its second weekend, bringing its domestic total well over the $150 million mark. The film, from Universal Pictures and DreamWorks, had a strong opening ($84.6 million) and has benefited from excellent word-of-mouth, earning an “A” CinemaScore from audiences. Its sustained performance suggests it’s on track to potentially become the highest-grossing film in the franchise domestically before inflation adjustment, highlighting the continued appeal of established, well-received IP.

Elio’s Challenging Launch

In contrast, Pixar’s sci-fi adventure Elio struggled to find traction with audiences during its debut weekend. The film, centering on a young boy mistaken for Earth’s ambassador by aliens, is projected to have opened with a modest $20 million to $22 million. This debut represents the lowest opening weekend ever for a Pixar film, falling significantly short of the previous lowest, Elemental, which opened to $29.6 million in 2023.

Despite the disappointing box office numbers for the $150 million production, Elio did receive positive feedback from moviegoers, landing an “A” CinemaScore, the same grade that helped Elemental find its legs and become a sleeper hit with a final worldwide gross near $500 million. Critics were also generally positive (84%-86% on Rotten Tomatoes). Pixar and Disney are reportedly hoping that strong word-of-mouth and the benefit of the summer holiday season, when kids are out of school, can help Elio replicate Elemental’s trajectory and find a path to profitability after its weak start. However, as an original story, the film faced an uphill battle against more recognizable franchises.

“28 Years Later” Debuts in Second Place

Opening between the returning champion and Pixar’s newcomer was Sony’s horror sequel, 28 Years Later. Directed by Danny Boyle, the film marking a return to the popular rage-virus series, debuted in second place with an estimated $30 million to $31 million. The film had a strong start with previews, earning over $5 million on Thursday and $14 million on Friday including previews.

28 Years Later was critically well-received, boasting a high 92% score on Rotten Tomatoes, though audience reaction was more mixed (67%). Starring Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Ralph Fiennes, the sequel’s opening is a significant increase compared to previous films in the franchise, demonstrating solid interest despite the genre becoming more crowded over the past two decades.

The weekend results underscore the current box office climate where strong, returning franchises continue to dominate, while even films from highly regarded studios like Pixar can face challenges with original properties, making positive audience reception and long-term “legs” crucial for success.