This weekend’s box office showdown features Mickey 17 and Novocaine, both vying for the coveted top position, yet it’s clear that both films are struggling to attract audiences. The competition remains extremely tight, with both titles grappling with disappointing performance metrics. Industry analysts are closely watching the numbers as they unfold, but it appears neither film is set to achieve significant success in terms of box office revenue this weekend.

The box office landscape of 2025 is increasingly disheartening, with films struggling to capture audience attention. As reported by Deadline, the current frontrunner for the weekend—still undecided between Novocaine and Mickey 17—is unlikely to hit the double-digit revenue mark. Presently, Novocaine appears to have a slight advantage, but both films are projected to gross around $8 million each, which is disappointing. Although this figure is lower than earlier expectations for Novocaine, it’s important to consider its modest budget, which somewhat mitigates the underwhelming performance. However, the film has received a lackluster B CinemaScore, indicating mixed audience reactions.

In contrast, even if Mickey 17 manages to maintain a week-to-week drop of less than 60%, it’s becoming clear that this film is on track to be a significant financial disappointment for Warner Bros. Projections suggest that it may not even reach the $40 million mark domestically, which is a dismal outcome given its hefty production budget exceeding $118 million. Similarly, Focus Features’ Black Bag is also facing challenges, with the highly anticipated spy thriller expected to open at only $6 million. While this figure is marginally better than what Conclave earned in its debut, it’s worth noting that Conclave was screened on significantly fewer screens and benefited from substantial Oscar buzz leading up to its release.

Other new releases, such as Ketchup’s The Day the Earth Blew Up and A24’s Opus, are also failing to make a significant impact at the box office. The Looney Tunes film, recently acquired from Warner Bros., is projected for a mere $2.15 million opening across more than 2000 screens, while Opus is expected to debut at just $1.5 million. This is particularly disappointing considering the film’s leading actress, The Bear’s Ayo Edebiri, had generated some buzz. Despite A24’s dedicated fanbase, it seems they are choosing to skip this release, resulting in a poor CinemaScore of C+.

Stay tuned for our comprehensive box office round-up tomorrow!