Here’s the skinny on a very unconventional weekend that included a right-wing documentary from a former tentpole Hollywood filmmaker (Amazon MGM Studios’ Brett Ratner-directed Melania in third with $7M) and an indie film from a YouTuber (Markiplier’s Iron Lung with $17.8M in No. 2), which will hopefully herald in a revolutionary era for social media influencers on the big screen. Disney is calling No. 1 with the Sam Raimi-directed, Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien-starring island genre pic Send Help at $20M, but realize that rivals see the pic much lower at $18M with Iron Lung not too far behind. Premium large format screens drove 46% of Send Help‘s money, with 3D accounting for 8% of the weekend. Send Help is eyeing a $5.7M Sunday to Iron Lung‘s estimated $2.5M-$3.5M today.
As of this minute, the crop has propelled the 2026 box office to $660.6M, +12% ahead of the Jan. 1-Feb. 1 period a year ag, according to Comscore.
Also on the limited front, a glamorous four-theater NYC and LA debut with Charli xcx’s A24 mockumentary about herself, The Moment, posting an opening per screen theater average of $106,9K behind Marty Supreme ($145K) and Asteroid City ($142K). Three-day was $427,9K. The pic world premiered at Sundance last Friday with the Brat’s party non-stop to LA on Thursday. Critics are alright with the movie at 60% fresh. There were 60 sellouts this past weekend with the Aidan Zimiri-directed movie expanding to a limited nationwide footprint.
Read more at Deadline
