Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is an FBI agent teaming up with Mark Wahlberg’s former mobster turned informant in the 1960s set crime thriller By All Means, which opens over Labor Day weekend. Elegance Bratton directs with a supporting cast including Nicole Beharie, Giancarlo Esposito, Josh Lucas, and David Strathairn.
This end of summer holiday frame usually isn’t a fruitful one for newcomers and I’m doubtful this Paramount release will break out. Wahlberg has mostly been seen on the streaming premiere circuit as of late and viewers may simply wait until Paramount+ to check it out. The studio should consider it a plus if it tops $10 million over the four-day frame and I’ll put it a tad under.
By All Means opening weekend prediction: $9.3 million (Friday to Monday estimate)
August at the box office should close out like July did with Spider-Man: Brand New Day ruling the charts. Coyote vs. Acme, the live-action/animated hybrid with a bumpy journey to theaters and Ridley Scott’s post-apocalyptic drama The Dog Stars are the fresh challengers to the throne and you can peruse my detailed prediction posts on the newcomers here:
Warner Bros axed Coyote as a tax write-off as the Looney Tunes tale (shot in 2022) finally was picked up by Ketchup Entertainment. They hope to squeeze an opening weekend in the high teens though my low teens projection could mean third place.
That’s because the MCU’s Spidey adventure should see a fifth weekend in 1st with a drop in the low to mid 40s. The Odyssey could rise from third to second as Insidious: Out of the Further could see a sophomore frame plummet in the 60% range.
I’m putting Further in a close race with The Dog Stars for fourth place as I don’t see the latter finding much of an audience.
Here’s how I see the top five shaking out:
1. Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Predicted Gross: $23.2 million
2. The Odyssey
Predicted Gross: $15.6 million
3. Coyote vs. Acme
Predicted Gross: $13.8 million
4. Insidious: Out of the Further
Predicted Gross: $9.4 million
5. The Dog Stars
Predicted Gross: $8.3 million
Box Office Results (August 21-23)
The sixth entry of the Insidious horror franchise was no match for Tom Holland as Brand New Day spent a fourth weekend as the champ. Spidey took in $39 million, just ahead of my $38 million prediction for $854 million total. This week it will become the second highest grossing domestic feature in history (unadjusted for inflation) behind Star Wars: The Force Awakens ($936 million).
Insidious: Out of the Further settled for second with $25.1 million, under my $29.7 million call. While its numbers are just fine considering the reported $18 million budget, it did not match the $33 million that predecessor The Red Door opened to in 2023.
The Odyssey was third with $19.7 million compared to my $17.1 million take as the epic adventure has amassed $539 million in six weeks. It has now surpassed The Dark Knight ($534 million) to become Christopher Nolan’s largest stateside earner.
PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie was fourth in weekend #2 with $9.1 million, in line with my $9.6 million forecast. The animated sequel stands at $35 million.
The End of Oak Street, another dino movie, rounded out the top five with $8.7 million (I said $8.2 million) for $37 million after two weeks.
Jason Statham’s Mutiny was sixth with $7.7 million as the star’s latest action thriller premiered close to my $7.7 million projection.
Tony, focused on a formative summer in the life of Anthony Bourdain, expanded nationwide and was seventh with $5 million compared to my $6 million prediction. The overall tally is $6.6 million.
Finally, comedy Spa Weekend fizzled in ninth with $3 million though that is ahead of my $2.3 million prognosis.
Despite drawing winning critical reactions, Coyote vs. Acme may face an uphill battle at the box office when it debuts August 28th. The comedic live-action/animation hybrid was famously shelved by Warner Bros. (think Batgirl) but was rescued by Ketchup Entertainment. Shot in 2022 with an initial planned release in 2023, Dave Green directs with a cast including Will Forte, Lana Condor, Tone Bell, Luis Guzmán, Martha Kelly, P.J. Byrne, and John Cena.
In March 2025, Ketchup also tried to squeeze some money out of The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie. It premiered to just $3.2 million with a final domestic take under $10 million. Coyote has 96% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 75 Metacritic, but I’m skeptical family audiences will show up in huge numbers in this back to school time frame. While industry followers may be familiar with its struggles to reach the big screen, a large portion of its target audience is likely oblivious.
This still could open with more than what Earth made in total.
Coyote vs. Acme opening weekend prediction: $13.8 million
Adapting Peter Heller’s 2012 novel, the post-apocalyptic tale The Dog Stars arrives in theaters August 28th. Still going strong at age 88, Ridley Scott directs a cast led by Jacob Elordi, Josh Brolin, Margaret Qualley, Allison Janney, Guy Pearce, and Benedict Wong.
Originally slated for March, Stars hits multiplexes at a sleepier box office time with summer winding down. Sporting a reported budget north of $100 million, profitability could be a challenge for 20th Century Studios production. I can’t imagine this getting over $15 million out of the gate.
I suspect this may not even reach double digits unless buzz picks up considerably in the coming days. I’ll put it in high single digits for a rough start.
The Dog Stars opening weekend prediction: $8.3 million
For the first time in several weeks, we could have a competition for the #1 spot with Insidious: Out of the Further potentially challenging Spider-Man: Brand New Day‘s fourth frame at the box office. We also have Mutiny with Jason Statham hoping to land in the top five. You can peruse my detailed prediction posts on the newcomers here:
The sixth entry in a 13-year-old steady horror franchise, Further could scare up the mid 30s or higher in a best case scenario. If so, Spidey could be prevented from a fourth weekend atop the charts. Yet my near $30 million projection should put it in the runner-spot assuming Tom Holland’s hero sees a decline in the mid 40s to 50% range.
Mutiny could make $10 million or so if it hits the top end of its range, but my estimate would put it in sixth. I didn’t do individual posts predicting the opening grosses for Spa Weekend (a comedy with Leslie Mann and Isla Fisher) or the nationwide expansion of Anthony Bourdain early years biopic Tony. I don’t figure either will place higher than 6th. I’ll say $6 million for Tony and just $2.3 million for Spa.
The Odyssey should drop to 3rd after three weeks in 2nd in the high teens with PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie and dino movie The End of Oak Street in 4th and 5th. As for the latter, it may suffer a significant decline considering the meh B Cinemascore grade.
Here’s how I have the top 6 shaking out:
1. Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Predicted Gross: $38 million
2. Insidious: Out of the Further
Predicted Gross: $29.7 million
3. The Odyssey
Predicted Gross: $17.1 million
4. PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie
Predicted Gross: $9.6 million
5. The End of Oak Street
Predicted Gross: $8.2 million
6. Mutiny
Predicted Gross: $7.5 million
Box Office Results (August 14-16)
Spider-Man: Brand New Day achieved the second best third outing at domestic multiplexes ever with $70.7 million, swinging beyond my $60.2 million call. That’s well behind the $90 million third weekend for Star Wars: The Force Awakens and just in front of Avatar‘s $68 million. The MCU’s return to dominance stands at $786 million stateside thus far.
The Odyssey, despite serious competition, held in second with $23.6 million and ahead of my $21 million prediction. The epic tale grew to $505 million after five weeks.
David Robert Mitchell’s The End of Oak Street with Anne Hathaway and lots of CG prehistoric creatures had a softish landing in third with $21 million, easily under my $31.1 million take. As mentioned, so-so word-of-mouth might cause faster extinction in theaters.
PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie was fourth with $20.2 million, a tad below predecessor The Mighty Movie though ahead of my $18.7 million projection.
Katseye: Wild Hearts was fifth with $3.9 million. It admittedly was not on my radar and I didn’t do a prediction post for the documentary about the L.A. based pop group.
Finally, The Brink of War from Angel Studios faltered in seventh with $2.6 million (I said $4.5 million). Older audiences didn’t turn up for the drama about Reagan and Gorbachev’s 1986 summit in Iceland.
Jason Statham reunites with his Plane director Jean-François Richet for action thriller Mutiny on August 21st. Costarring Annabelle Wallis, Jason Wong, Roland Møller, Arnas Fedaravicius, and Adrian Lester, Lionsgate hopes for a midsize hit like other Statham efforts.
Originally slated for January, it follows the lead’s Shelter which did come out in January. While 2024’s The Beekeeper collected $16.6 million out of the gate ($66 million total domestic) and 2025’s A Working Man did $15.5 million and $37 million overall, Shelter faltered. It debuted to only $5.5 million and then $12 million all in.
I think Mutiny manages to get beyond Shelter, but not double digits like the aforementioned flicks.
Mutiny opening weekend prediction: $7.9 million
For my Insidious: Out of the Further prediction, click here:
Marking the sixth entry in a sturdy horror franchise, Insidious: Out of the Further is inside theaters on August 21st. Written and directed by Jacob Chase (new to the series), franchise stalwarts James Wan and Leigh Whannell serve as producers. Amelia Eve, Brandon Perea, Maisie Richardson-Sellers, and Lin Shaye (another constant) headline the cast.
In the spring of 2011, Insidious kicked off with $13 million and legged out to a commendable $54 million. The 2013 follow-up set highs in terms of opening weekend ($40 million) and overall domestic haul ($83 million). Yet 2023’s predecessor Insidious: The Red Door isn’t far behind with a $33 million premiere and $82 million eventual gross.
While I don’t see Further setting any records, I do think high 20s to maybe low 30s is certainly achievable as many genre fans should seek it out.
Insidious: Out of the Further opening weekend prediction: $29.7 million
While Spider-Man: Brand New Day should face no trouble spinning a third weekend atop the charts, two dinosaur centered features will attempt to make their mark at multiplexes. We have 1980s set The End of Oak Street with Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor and animated three-quel PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie debuting. They premiere alongside The Brink of War from Angel Studios (recounting the Reagan/Gorbachev 1986 Icelandic summit) and you can peruse my detailed prediction posts on the newcomers here:
Buzz appears to picking up for Oak Street, the sci-fi adventure from acclaimed filmmaker David Robert Mitchell. While I wouldn’t discount an opening approaching $40 million in a best case scenario, the floor could be in the low 20s. My low 30s projection gives it a second place showing.
The third pic based on the Canadian kids TV series, I foresee PAW Patrol coming in a bit behind 2023 predecessor PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie. It could be in third place, but I’ve got it in fourth slightly behind the fifth outing for The Odyssey.
The Brink of War should land the five spot. The political drama may get beyond my mid single digits estimate, but I’ll play it safe.
As mentioned, Spidey is poised to make it three in a row. A percentage decline in the high 50s would mean a gross just north of $60 million and here’s how I have it all shaking out:
1. Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Predicted Gross: $60.2 million
2. The End of Oak Street
Predicted Gross $31.1 million
3. The Odyssey
Predicted Gross: $21 million
4. PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie
Predicted Gross: $18.7 million
5. The Brink of War
Predicted Gross: $4.5 million
Box Office Results (August 7-9)
Two new comedies struggled while Peter Parker and Odysseus continued to rule. Spider-Man: Brand New Day, after scoring the greatest domestic opening haul in box office history, had the third strongest sophomore weekend ever behind Star Wars: The Force Awakens ($149 million) and Avengers: Endgame ($147 million). The MCU saga took in $144.2 million. While that’s below my generous $153 million take, the ten-day total is a whopping $654 million.
The Odyssey held runner-up status once again with $31.7 million, on target with my $31.6 million call. The future awards player sits at $461 million after four weeks.
Rom com One Night Only starring Monica Barbaro and Callum Turner was third at the low end of expectations with $5.5 million. I thought it would nab $7.8 million.
Toy Story 5 was fourth with $4.2 million (I said $4.9 million) as the Pixar sequel brought its eight-week earnings to $470 million.
Finally, Super Troopers 3 fell way behind its 2018 predecessor in fifth. While part 2 made off with $15 million out of the gate, part 3 was good for only $4 million. I went with $7.6 million.
Angel Studios hopes to attract an older crowd with The Brink of War on August 14th. Recounting the Reykjavik Summit of 1986, the political drama casts Jeff Daniels as Ronald Reagan with Jared Harris portraying Mikhail Gorbachev. Michael Russell Gunn makes his directorial debut with the supporting cast including J.K. Simmons as Secretary of State George Schultz and Hope Davis as Nancy Reagan. **Fun fact: this is Davis’s second portrayal of a First Lady as she inhabited Hillary Clinton in 2010’s HBO pic The Special Relationship.
War‘s recounting of a major event in the tenure of America’s 40th President is unlikely to approach Angel’s summer flick about the formative days of the 1st POTUS. Young Washington premiered to nearly $20 million with a shrewd Fourth of July holiday release. This might be lucky to take in a quarter of those debut earnings.
The Brink of War opening weekend prediction: $4.5 million
For my The End of Oak Street prediction, click here
If youngsters aren’t quite ready for the prehistoric creatures inhabiting The End of Oak Street starting August 14th, parents have a more kid friendly option via PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie. The third feature stemming from the Canadian animated series, Cal Brunker returns as director. Among the voice artists are Carter Young, Mckenna Grace, Terry Crews, Jennifer Hudson, Jameela Jamil, Paris Hilton, and Snoop Dogg.
Five years ago, PAW Patrol: The Movie opened while COVID closures were still a reality. It made just over $13 million in its debut with $40 million eventually in its domestic coffers. Two years later, PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie fared better with a near $23 million start and $65 million overall. This tale of 65 million year old characters should get closer to Mighty than the original. I’ll say it falls just under $20 million.
PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie opening weekend prediction: $18.7 million
For my The End of Oak Street prediction, click here:
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