The movie business is experiencing a dramatic shift as the excitement from a series of surprise hits gives way to a notably quiet fall season. Zack Cregger’s horror-thriller Weapons has been a breakout star, pulling in $148.8 million globally. This success story is part of a larger 2025 trend where unexpected films have captivated audiences and delivered huge returns.
This year has repeatedly shown that predictions can be wrong. Jurassic World Rebirth astounded analysts with an $828 million take, while original horror movies proved their commercial viability. This pattern suggests audiences are hungry for novelty and are rewarding studios that take creative risks with their attendance.
However, this wave of success is about to break against a barren release calendar. The upcoming weeks in late August and September are light on big-name titles, with theaters pinning their hopes on smaller films like Benedict Cumberbatch’s The Rose and established franchises like The Conjuring: Last Rites. No single film is expected to dominate the box office until later in the fall.
The industry is looking toward October as the next major turning point, with Disney’s Tron: Ares set to kick off a season of heavy hitters. It will be followed by a slew of blockbusters like Zootopia 2 and Now You See Me: Now You Don’t, promising a strong finish to the year. In the meantime, cinemas are leveraging their improved financial health to wait out the lull.
