Weapons is continuing its stellar box office run, but a potential major win could be snatched from it by KPop Demon Hunters. Weapons, which is the latest horror movie from Barbarian director Zach Cregger, is a runaway smash hit that has already grossed more than $170 million worldwide after just two weeks in theaters.
Weapons debuted at No. 1 at the domestic box office, maintaining that position during its second weekend. During its third weekend, it is competing with a number of smaller releases, including the survival movie Eden, the thriller Relay, and Netflix's KPop Demon Hunters, which is playing in theaters for just two days in a special sing-along presentation.
Per Deadline, as of Saturday morning, Weapons is projected to earn a 3-day total of more than $15 million by the end of its third weekend at the domestic box office. This sees it surging ahead of its original $13.5 million projections, putting it in a neck-and-neck race for No. 1.
If it tops the chart, it would become the first horror movie of the year to top the domestic box office for three consecutive weekends, beating the two-week streak of Ryan Coogler's Sinners.
Because KPop Demon Hunters is only playing on Saturday and Sunday, its projections are less clear, without preview numbers to work from. However, the movie (which is Netflix's second most-watched movie in history after debuting on the streamer on June 20) is also gearing up for a 3-day total above $15 million thanks to more than 1,000 sold-out screenings nationwide.
What This Means For Weapons
This narrow weekend 3 drop comes after a 43.8% sophomore weekend drop, which avoided the curse common to the horror genre. Generally, horror titles are frontloaded, leading to huge week 2 drops of 50% or more. If Weapons' audience hold continues at this level, it could quickly rise to become the second highest-grossing horror movie of the year, behind Sinners.
Additionally, it's hardly shameful to be threatened by Netflix's animated fantasy musical. That movie's a resounding hit across a number of mediums. In addition to its streaming record, multiple songs from the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack have smashed records on the Billboard Hot 100. It makes sense that it would be able to connect with audiences in theaters as well.
Our Take On The Weekend Box Office
A character looking into a mirror with a demon in Kpop Demon Hunters
Because KPop Demon Hunters' tenure is brief, the No. 1 spot's wide open for Weapons' fourth weekend. While it'll be facing off against The Toxic Avenger, Caught Stealing, The Roses, and Jaws' 50th anniversary re-release, none of those titles are expected to debut above $10 million. This means the horror hit could potentially take the weekend if it drops 34% or less.
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