The US box office is going through one of its weakest moments of the year. The weekend tally closed with a total of approximately $84.4 million, making these days the sixth-worst weekend of 2026 in terms of revenue. The main reason lies in the poor performance of new releases, which have failed to lift a market already weakened after the stumble of 'Digger' the previous week.
The data is particularly striking because it coincides with the pre-Halloween season, a period that usually favors horror films and historically boosts theater attendance. However, not even that seasonal advantage has prevented the general slump in revenue.
The Other Mother leads despite bad reviews
The big surprise of the weekend was the lead taken by 'The Other Mother', starring Jessica Chastain, which grossed $27.5 million. The figure far exceeds the $20 million projected by Universal Pictures, the studio responsible for the film.
What is striking is that the film arrived in theaters with a very negative reception from both the public and specialized critics. It obtained a D+ rating on CinemaScore, the worst result for a wide-release film since Francis Ford Coppola's 'Megalopolis' in 2024.
Despite the calamitous reviews, the film seems to have benefited from the lack of strong alternatives within the horror genre during these dates close to Halloween, which pushed horror movie fans to go to theaters almost by default.
The Network Price, the most notable flop
The most anticipated release of the weekend was, without a doubt, 'The Network Price', the project by Aaron Sorkin conceived as a sort of spiritual sequel to 'The Social Network'. However, the film sank to fifth place in the ranking with just $5.5 million grossed in its debut.
The figure contrasts brutally with the $224 million that the original film released in 2010 managed to accumulate. While that film portrayed the social fascination with the figure of Mark Zuckerberg, this new installment focuses on whistleblowers and the recent scandals that have affected big tech companies and their top executives.
Not even reasonably positive reviews managed to spark public interest. Internationally, the result does not improve either: the film barely adds $9 million worldwide. The most favorable detail is that its budget was relatively contained, around $30 million, which limits the economic blow for the studio.
The rest of the top 10, between resilience and failure
Verity and Resident Evil remain strong
'Verity', starring Anne Hathaway, remained in second place despite a 64.2% drop compared to the previous week. With an additional $11.4 million, the film has already accumulated $53.8 million in the United States and $114 million worldwide, a remarkable result considering its budget of about $40 million.
In third place, 'Resident Evil' remains in its fourth week in theaters, with another $8.35 million. The reboot of the popular video game saga is already nearing $320 million worldwide, a figure that leaves Sony satisfied after several previous attempts with the franchise.
Into the Heart of the Beast and The Forgotten Island hold on thanks to word of mouth
'Into the Heart of the Beast' occupies fourth place in its third week of exhibition, adding $7.1 million and approaching $50 million grossed in US territory, driven in large part by positive word of mouth.
For its part, 'The Forgotten Island' is in sixth place in its third week, with an additional $4.5 million. The US total has already reached $19.9 million and $50.1 million worldwide, benefiting from the lack of competition within the family segment in recent weeks.
Primetime, Digger and the failed remake of Angel and the Badman
'Primetime', starring Robert Pattinson and distributed by A24, remains in seventh place with another $4.01 million, raising its US revenue to $41.6 million.
'Digger', last week's big failed release, continues to fall in its second week. The film plummets 60%, with just $3.2 million over the weekend, and adds an international total of $35.5 million, a figure well below what was expected for a production of its scale.
Ninth place goes to another unexpected stumble: 'Angel and the Badman', the remake of the 1947 John Wayne western classic, starring Zachary Levi. The film, harshly criticized, fails to exceed $2.06 million at the box office.
Closing the top 10 is 'The Odyssey', which returns to the list in its thirteenth week in theaters with an additional $2 million, a 54% improvement over the previous week, favored by the lack of new titles capable of competing.
What could change next week?
The outlook could take a turn with two new releases: the remake of 'Sense and Sensibility' and the action adaptation 'Street Fighter', based on the homonymous video game. Neither of them has, from the outset, clear guarantees of success, so the US box office could continue to go through complicated weeks before finding a real boost.
Frequently asked questions
Why did The Network Price fail at the box office?
Despite having Aaron Sorkin in charge of the project and receiving reasonably positive reviews, the film only grossed $5.5 million in its US opening. The result is attributed to public saturation regarding the scandals of big tech companies, a central theme in the plot.
How much did The Other Mother gross in its opening?
The film starring Jessica Chastain grossed $27.5 million in its first weekend, exceeding the $20 million that Universal Pictures had projected.
Why was The Other Mother so successful despite bad reviews?
The film received a D+ rating on CinemaScore, the worst result for a major release since 'Megalopolis' in 2024, in addition to very negative reviews from critics. Its good box office result is explained by the proximity of Halloween and the lack of strong alternatives within the horror genre on those dates.
How much has the Resident Evil saga grossed with its new reboot?
The 'Resident Evil' reboot has accumulated nearly $320 million worldwide after four weeks in theaters, consolidating itself as one of Sony's great recent successes with the franchise.
What movies are opening next week at the box office?
Upcoming releases include the remake of 'Sense and Sensibility' and the action movie 'Street Fighter', based on the homonymous video game, although neither starts as a clear favorite to reverse the downward trend of the box office.
