The Halloween 2025 weekend box office delivered a startlingly quiet performance, marking one of the weakest showings in years. While Universal and Blumhouse’s horror sequel, “Black Phone 2,” fittingly secured the top spot, the overall landscape reflected a challenging period for movie theaters. This subdued weekend brought an end to October 2025, which registered as the lowest October box office in nearly three decades. Film enthusiasts and industry insiders are now grappling with the implications of this unprecedented slump, seeking answers to what caused such a significant downturn.
Halloween 2025: A Ghosted Box Office Performance
This year’s Halloween weekend saw the domestic box office plummet to an estimated $49 million total, making it the lowest-grossing weekend of 2025. Several factors contributed to this significant decline. Halloween falling on a Friday traditionally pulls audiences away from cinemas, as many opt for trick-or-treating or private celebrations. Adding to the competition, the final game of the World Series between the LA Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays also diverted potential moviegoers on Saturday night. Furthermore, major studios largely avoided debuting any new wide releases, leaving a noticeable void in fresh content.
This weekend’s performance cast a long shadow over the entire month. October 2025 closed with an estimated $440 million, marking the lowest October box office since 1998. This figure stands in stark contrast to previous strong Octobers, such as 2018’s record-setting $832.8 million or even the post-pandemic high of $645 million in 2021. Despite a challenging autumn, the year-to-date box office for 2025, as of October 30, sat at $7 billion. This represents a modest 3% increase over the previous year but remains a substantial 24% behind the pre-COVID 2019 total of $9.26 billion for the same period. The industry continues to search for the right formula to entice audiences back consistently.
“Black Phone 2” Rings in a Win Amidst the Silence
Amidst the overall market struggles, “Black Phone 2” emerged as the clear winner, maintaining its strong hold in its third weekend. The Universal and Blumhouse horror sequel captivated audiences, earning $2.3 million on Halloween Friday alone. Its projected weekend gross of $7.6 million represented a respectable 41% drop, a solid performance for a horror film during the seasonally appropriate holiday. This brings its estimated North American total to $61 million through Sunday, pacing slightly behind the original 2022 “Black Phone,” which had reached $62.4 million at the same 17-day mark. The sequel’s consistent performance highlights the enduring appeal of the horror genre, especially around the Halloween season.
Newcomers and Expanding Releases Make Their Mark
Despite the quiet market, a few films managed to carve out their own successes. Focus Features strategically expanded its acclaimed conspiracy thriller “Bugonia,” while Netflix brought back its animated hit “KPop Demon Hunters” for a special engagement. These varied approaches illustrate studios’ efforts to find niches in a challenging environment.
“Bugonia” Breaks Records for Director Yorgos Lanthimos
Focus Features’ “Bugonia,” a remake of the 2003 Korean film “Save the Green Planet!,” achieved a notable milestone for director Yorgos Lanthimos. Reuniting with Oscar-winning star Emma Stone, the film expanded into 2,043 locations after a limited run. It earned $1.8 million on Friday, heading towards a projected $4.4 million three-day haul. This marks Lanthimos’s biggest wide opening weekend to date, a significant achievement for the director of critically acclaimed works like “The Favourite” and “Poor Things.”
“Bugonia,” which carries a $45 million production budget, premiered to strong reviews and early awards buzz at the Venice Film Festival in August. It boasts an impressive 87% fresh rating from critics and an 89% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. While it received a “B” grade from CinemaScore, indicating a mixed audience reaction, the R-rated film isn’t designed as a traditional crowd-pleaser. Its success skewed heavily male (61%) and towards the 18-34 demographic (63%), particularly on the East and West coasts. Focus Features is banking on a sustained “long haul” performance, with industry analysts optimistically projecting a potential $30 million domestic gross and over $100 million globally, aligning it with Lanthimos’s previous Oscar-winning hits. Its distinct artistic vision and critical acclaim could provide “Bugonia” with strong legs through the awards season.
“KPop Demon Hunters” Second Theatrical Engagement Sees Diminished Returns
Netflix’s animated smash, “KPop Demon Hunters,” returned to theaters for a special three-day engagement in 2,890 locations, this time with AMC Theatres on board. The film, which Netflix identifies as its most-watched feature ever on its streaming platform, had a previous limited theatrical bow in late August. That initial release technically ranked as the No. 1 film of the weekend, with estimated earnings around $19 million. However, Netflix, known for its theatrical-averse policy, did not report official grosses then, and is not expected to do so now.
For this second engagement, industry estimates for “KPop Demon Hunters” project a $3.4 million weekend. This figure represents a significant drop from its previous outing, with some industry sources commenting that “there’s no more juice left in that squeeze.” The film’s performance suggests that the majority of its fanbase may have already streamed the animated hit at home, leaving a smaller audience for its second cinematic run.
Other Contenders and Surprise Performers
Beyond the top contenders, several other films vied for audience attention during the subdued Halloween weekend. Paramount’s “Regretting You,” an adaptation of the popular Colleen Hoover novel, held its ground, securing second place. It earned $1.2 million on Friday and is projected for a $6.6 million second weekend, a 51% drop from its opening. Its total domestic gross is expected to reach $26 million through Sunday, demonstrating its appeal to a dedicated female audience.
Sony and Crunchyroll’s R-rated actioner, “Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc,” initially snagged second place on Friday with $1.3 million. However, it is expected to drop more sharply, a typical trend for anime films that are often “frontloaded by fans” at the box office. Its projected three-day haul of $5.5 million would represent a 69% decline from its No. 1 opening last frame. Nonetheless, its domestic total is set to surpass $30 million through Sunday.
Nostalgia Reigns: “Back to the Future” Reissue Takes Flight
Adding a touch of nostalgia, Universal re-released the classic “Back to the Future” in 2,275 locations to celebrate its 40th anniversary. The reissue, which included some Imax showtimes, took in $1.5 million across previews and Friday showings. It is projecting a $3.9 million three-day total. This impressive performance for a four-decade-old film highlights the enduring power of cinematic classics and the appeal of special anniversary screenings to dedicated fans. Briarcliff Entertainment’s animated “Stitch Head” opened to an estimated $2.2 million, while Roadside Attractions’ political thriller “Anniversary” saw a quieter debut at $247,000.
Looking Ahead: What Does This Mean for the Film Industry?
The Halloween 2025 box office paints a challenging picture for the film industry. The confluence of external factors, coupled with a lack of major new releases, underscored the market’s vulnerability. While certain genres like horror can still attract audiences, and niche films like “Bugonia” can find success with targeted marketing, the overall trend signals a need for strategic rethinking. Studios may need to reconsider holiday release schedules and invest in more compelling, high-quality content to encourage consistent theatrical attendance. The industry’s ability to adapt and innovate will be crucial in turning around these concerning trends and re-engaging moviegoers in the coming months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was the Halloween 2025 box office so historically low?
The Halloween 2025 box office was the lowest-grossing weekend of the year, primarily due to Halloween falling on a Friday, which typically diverts audiences to other activities like trick-or-treating. Additionally, the final World Series game competed for viewership, and major studios largely avoided releasing new films in wide distribution. These factors contributed to October 2025 becoming the lowest-grossing October in 27 years, with a total of approximately $440 million.
How did “Bugonia” achieve a strong opening despite a quiet weekend?
“Bugonia” distinguished itself through its critical acclaim and the reputation of its director, Yorgos Lanthimos, and star, Emma Stone. The film garnered strong reviews and awards buzz from its Venice Film Festival premiere, resulting in an 87% Rotten Tomatoes critics score and an 89% audience score. Focus Features strategically expanded its release, targeting a discerning audience, particularly young males on the East and West coasts. This allowed “Bugonia” to achieve Lanthimos’s best wide opening weekend despite the overall market slump.
What was “KPop Demon Hunters”‘ final box office take during its Halloween re-release?
Netflix’s “KPop Demon Hunters” re-release for Halloween weekend was projected to earn approximately $3.4 million. While this figure is an industry estimate (as Netflix typically does not report its box office grosses), it represents a significant decrease from its initial two-day limited engagement in August, which was estimated at $19 million. This performance suggests that the majority of the film’s dedicated fanbase likely watched it on the streaming platform during its initial release, leaving less “juice” for subsequent theatrical runs.
