5 Minutes
Weekend Box Office Snapshot
Sam Raimi’s latest horror entry, Send Help, claimed the top spot at North American cinemas this weekend — a notable win for a director who helped reinvent modern genre filmmaking. Disney-backed Send Help opened to a $20 million domestic weekend and added $8.1 million from international markets, giving it a global opening haul of about $28.1 million against a reported $40 million production budget.
Raimi’s return to horror — after decades of mainstream success with titles like the Spider-Man trilogy and an early cult legacy with The Evil Dead — feels both nostalgic and contemporary. The film stars Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien, pairing solid commercial names with Raimi’s kinetic visual style.
Top Five: What Mattered This Weekend
1) Send Help — $20M domestic, $8.1M international (Week 1) 2) Iron Lung — $17.8M domestic (Week 1, no international release yet) 3) Melania (documentary) — $7M domestic (Week 1, no international release yet) 4) Zootopia 2 — $5.8M domestic (Week 10), $17.3M international this week, $1.777B global to date 5) Shelter — $5.5M domestic, $7.5M international (Week 1)
Iron Lung: A low-budget juggernaut?
Iron Lung, a sci-fi horror built on a tiny $3 million budget, scored an impressive $17.8 million in its U.S. debut and currently awaits its international rollout. That kind of multiplier—turning a micro-budget into a strong theatrical return—recalls the trajectory of indie horror hits like Paranormal Activity and The Blair Witch Project. Whether Iron Lung sustains momentum will depend on word-of-mouth and how it performs once distributed overseas.
Documentary and Franchise Dynamics
The politically charged documentary Melania opened to $7 million against a reported $40 million budget — a heavy price for a documentary that may rely on domestic curiosity and future streaming deals to recoup costs. Meanwhile, Zootopia 2 continues to show franchise durability: ten weeks in, it added another $5.8 million domestically and $17.3 million internationally, bringing its global total to roughly $1.777 billion. That keeps it among the highest-grossing animated releases in recent memory and highlights how major animated tentpoles still dominate long-term box office landscapes.
Shelter and Star Power
Jason Statham’s newest action film Shelter launched modestly with $5.5 million domestic and $7.5 million overseas for a $13 million global start against a roughly $50 million budget. The film’s performance underscores a broader industry pattern: star-driven mid-budget action faces stiff competition from franchise and event cinema, and international results will be decisive for Shelter’s profitability.
"Sam Raimi has a knack for turning genre instincts into audience events," says film critic Anna Kovacs. "Send Help isn’t a runaway smash, but it proves that established directors can still draw crowds to genre films when paired with recognizable stars and smart marketing."
Industry Context and Takeaways
A few broader notes: horror and sci-fi continue to be fertile ground for high returns on lower budgets when creativity and timing align. Franchises and family animation still provide the safest path to consistent global grosses. Documentaries and mid-budget adult dramas or action films increasingly rely on ancillary markets (streaming, international licensing) to become profitable.
For now, this weekend’s big story is variety: a veteran director’s genre return, an indie breakout, a controversial documentary, continued franchise dominance, and a mid-budget action title all sharing the top five. That mix reflects a healthy theatrical ecosystem where different audience segments still choose theaters for distinct reasons — scares, spectacle, family outings, star power, or topical curiosity.
A closing thought: Send Help’s first-week finish puts it in a good position to build if critics and viewers recommend it; Iron Lung’s raw opening proves indie horror can still surprise; and Zootopia 2’s longevity is a reminder that when animation hits the right emotional and marketing notes, theaters remain its best home.
Comments
bioNix
Melania cost 40M? Really, who pays that for a documentary in theaters. Seems like streaming is the only hope, Shelter needs big intl numbers imo
atomwave
Wow Raimi back in horror? Send Help opening was decent, curious if it holds. Iron Lung hype tho, indie magic maybe, gonna check reviews
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