Zach Cregger’s new horror flick, Weapons, stormed the North American box office this weekend, pulling in a hefty $42.5 million from over 3,200 theaters. The movie’s eerie tale of 17 teenagers vanishing at 2:17 a.m. in the quiet town of Maybrook clearly struck a chord with horror fans and general audiences alike.
A Small Town Mystery That Had Big Box Office Impact
Weapons isn’t your typical horror story. The film’s chilling premise — a group of teens mysteriously disappearing without a trace — taps into a primal fear that’s both unsettling and captivating. The timing couldn’t be better, either. August has long been a month where edgier movies find their footing, and Weapons seized that moment.
The buzz started early, thanks to clever viral marketing. Social media played a major role, with fans sharing theories and reactions, which helped push the movie into must-see territory. Warner Bros Pictures, the film’s distributor, chalked this up as their seventh No. 1 opening of 2025 and sixth straight film to debut north of $40 million domestically. That’s no small feat in a crowded marketplace.
Internationally, Weapons added another $70 million, proving its appeal crosses borders.
Freakier Friday’s Sequel Finds a Place Too
While Weapons took the top spot, Disney’s Freakier Friday also made waves, landing second with $29 million across nearly 4,000 theaters. The sequel to the beloved 2003 Freaky Friday flips the body-swap script into a chaotic family comedy with Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis reprising their roles.
This new take adds layers of complexity and humor as the mother-daughter duo swap bodies again — but now with an added twist involving Lohan’s character’s teen daughter and soon-to-be stepdaughter. The result? Plenty of laughs and relatable family drama that hooked audiences.
Social Media’s Role in the Weekend’s Success
Paul Dergarabedian, a senior media analyst at Comscore, highlighted how different these two movies are yet both managed to captivate audiences in real time.
“The top two films could not be more different, and that’s what makes this weekend so appealing for moviegoers,” he said. “Both are perfectly tailored for their audiences to react in real time over the weekend to these films and then post on social media.”
In other words, the weekend’s box office wins weren’t just about star power or big budgets—they were about how each film tapped into what their viewers were eager to see and share. For Weapons, that meant suspense, mystery, and pure horror thrills. For Freakier Friday, it was family comedy with a nostalgic spin.
What This Means for Warner Bros and Summer Movies
This streak of strong openings bodes well for Warner Bros, especially as summer blockbusters often fade quickly after opening weekend. To have six films in a row cross the $40 million mark domestically shows consistent audience trust and savvy marketing.
The box office climate has been unpredictable lately, with streaming services challenging traditional releases. But films like Weapons remind us that there’s still something special about the theater experience — the shared chills, laughs, and gasps that can only be felt in a crowded auditorium.
A Look Ahead: What to Expect Next
With Weapons already setting a high bar, horror fans are buzzing about what’s next on the calendar. Will this momentum carry through Halloween season, or will other genres steal the spotlight? Meanwhile, family comedies like Freakier Friday show there’s room for lighter fare even late in the summer.
The weekend’s box office tells a story bigger than dollars — it’s about connection, anticipation, and stories that hit just right.
