Late September 2025 Box Office Poised for Strong Showing with Four Films Eyed Over $20M
The latest box office tracking for the final weekend of September 2025 suggests a notably robust market, with analysts projecting that four separate releases could each surpass the $20 million mark in domestic ticket sales. If those estimates hold, the weekend would rank among the strongest late‑September frames in recent years, continuing a positive trend for theatrical attendance heading into the fall season.
Avengers Endgame: Encore Leads the Pack
Disney/Marvel Studios’ re‑release Avengers Endgame: Encore is currently forecast to gross approximately $11 million on Friday alone, with a three‑day total ranging from $23 million to $26 million across about 3,060 theaters. The film’s cumulative domestic tally after the weekend could reach as high as $884.3 million on the high end of the range. Preview screenings held the day before generated $3.8 million, outpacing the $3.4 million previews for last year’s Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith re‑release. Industry observers note that the title includes four extra minutes of footage from the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday and is being shown on a mix of premium large‑format screens, including Disney’s newly certified Infinity Vision and Imax auditoriums.
Resident Evil and A24’s Primetime Chase the Top Spot
Sony’s second‑weekend hold on Resident Evil is projected to deliver a three‑day total of roughly $22 million from 3,684 locations, representing a ‑63 % drop from its opening Friday of $6.5 million. By the end of the weekend, the film’s domestic cume is expected to sit near $102.1 million.
Meanwhile, A24’s Primetime, starring Robert Pattinson, is tracking toward a $20 million opening. The film earned $2.7 million in previews at 2,859 theaters and is receiving strong critical notice, with Rotten Tomatoes reporting an 86 % certified‑fresh score. If it reaches or exceeds the $20 million threshold, it would mark a notable achievement for its $15 million net production budget.
Heart of the Beast and Forgotten Island Fill Out the Slate
Paramount’s Heart of the Beast is seeing a Friday of $7.5 million and a projected three‑day total of $20.5 million across 3,435 theaters. The film holds a 97 % audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, far above the 40 % rating for Pitt’s 2019 Ad Astra. Overseas, the picture is slated to open in 63 markets, with an anticipated international contribution of around $15 million for a potential $35 million worldwide opening.
Universal/DreamWorks Animation’s Forgotten Island is expected to generate $3.9 million on Friday (including previews) and a three‑day total of $10.1 million, placing it within its $13 million–$15 million forecast window. The film has garnered a 95 % fresh rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes and is set to roll out to an additional 31 international markets, adding an estimated $10 million overseas.
Context and Outlook for the Late‑September Market
Should the four titles each clear $20 million, the combined weekend gross for the top five films would fall in the $95 million–$98 million range. For comparison, the best post‑Covid late‑September weekend to date occurred in 2024, when The Wild Robot opened to $35.7 million and the overall market totaled $93 million. Industry sources suggest that, absent a wide release exceeding $30 million, the current slate could produce the strongest late‑September frame since 2018, when the market reached $106.4 million.
Box office analysts also point out that if Resident Evil surpasses $20 million this weekend, it would become the 19th film of 2025 to cross the $100 million domestic threshold. The film’s cumulative total through Wednesday stood at $76.8 million.
Overall, the current projections paint a picture of a healthy theatrical landscape heading into the autumn awards season, with diverse genre offerings—from superhero re‑releases and horror reboots to prestige dramas and family animation—appealing to varied audience segments.
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