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October Box Office Sinks to 28-Year Low as Halloween Weekend Marks 2025’s Worst

Analysts attribute the slump to underperforming tentpoles, a thin horror slate, calendar quirks, competing sports.

Overview

  • Domestic grosses for October totaled about $425 million, the weakest October since 1997 excluding the pandemic year.
  • Halloween weekend delivered roughly $48–49 million, the lowest weekend of 2025, with “Regretting You” leading at an estimated $8.1 million.
  • Tron: Ares” earned $67 million in North America and $133 million worldwide against a reported $180 million budget, underscoring big-title shortfalls.
  • Horror offerings proved inconsistent as “Black Phone 2” took about $8 million over the weekend yet passed $100 million globally, while “Shelby Oaks” opened to roughly $770,000 from more than 1,700 theaters.
  • Contributing pressures included Halloween falling on a Friday and the World Series climax, despite isolated bright spots like “Chainsaw Man: The Movie – Reze Arc” topping late October and Taylor Swift’s one-week event taking $34 million.