This post-Halloween week didn’t spark a major rush to the movie theaters, following last weekend’s record-setting low box office numbers, resulting in another relatively weak frame. However, amid the holdovers and modest new releases, there’s a standout success story that brings promise and hope for what’s to come.
5. Nuremberg – $4 Million
I don’t know too much about this WWII-set thriller, other than its all-star ensemble cast, which includes the likes of Russell Crowe and Rami Malek, among others. The film is written and directed by James Vanderbilt. If the name doesn’t ring a bell, you’ll definitely recognize his work—Vanderbilt has screenwriting credits on everything from Zodiac to Scream VI to Murder Mystery.
He’s an incredibly talented and versatile writer, and his only previous directing credit was the 2015 film Truth, starring Cate Blanchett and Robert Redford. Vanderbilt is clearly an actor’s director and has proven himself capable of delivering compelling work, so it’s encouraging to see his new film gaining some momentum.
4. Sarah’s Oil – $4.4 Million
The less said about actor-turned-political figure Zachary Levi, the better, but Cyrus Nowrasteh’s new film is clearly resonating with its target audience. The biographical drama, which focuses on the early life of Sarah Rector, blends an inspirational, feel-good story with classic Western elements.
Its low debut isn’t ideal, and it makes Amazon’s decision to move the release date forward from Christmas—a peak time when families flock to theaters for heartfelt, sentiment-driven films—somewhat puzzling. However, the movie still has time to grow, and if word of mouth is strong, it could remain in theaters for several more weeks.
3. Black Phone 2 – $5.3 Million
Scott Derrickson’s Black Phone 2 continues to tear up the charts even after the spooky season has concluded, becoming far and away Blumhouse’s biggest hit of the year. The film recently crossed the $100 million total, earning its budget back and then some. For what it’s worth, I actually contributed to this total this weekend, and seeing this again in theaters confirmed that, yes, the movie is very good, and also that it is continuing to play like gangbusters to sold-out crowds at my local theater.
Blumhouse has had a rough few years, both financially and creatively, so it makes me personally quite happy that the film to finally pull them out of their slump is one that is so creatively vibrant and a notable departure from their usual stuff. Black Phone 2 has a higher budget than pretty much any other Blumhouse joint this year, and it shows in the best of ways.
2. Regretting You – $7 Million
The Colleen Hoover-based romance drama continues to be a holdover hit, with BookTok audiences continuing to turn out in regular fashion. It’s interesting the way in which this film has differed from the author’s previous film, It Ends With Us, which had a much higher opening weekend but ultimately did flame out a bit faster.
That film infamously had a great deal of behind-the-scenes controversy which took over the conversation in the weeks following its opening, whereas Regretting You has proved something of an unproblematic fav for many readers, with stars Mason Thames and McKenna Grace now even (allegedly) dating in real life. It’s a pretty awful movie, but at least people are enjoying it. If only Mason Thames could have somehow found a way to grow a pair of mandibles on his face, he could have occupied all three top positions on the list this week, but alas, this is not the case.
1. Predator: Badlands – $40 Million
The clear winner of the weekend is Predator: Badlands, and it’s a thrill to say it. After the critical and commercial success of Dan Trachtenberg’s previous Predator entries—Prey and Predator: Killer of Killers—Disney took a gamble on a big-budget, premium blockbuster with him at the helm. Predator: Badlands is now the most expensive film in the franchise’s history, and it could have easily flopped if audiences hadn’t shown up. Fortunately, they did.
With a $40 million opening, the film surpassed initial projections and sits on par with last year’s Alien: Romulus, a solid achievement. Beyond the numbers, the movie is genuinely entertaining and delivers a rollicking cinematic experience. Trachtenberg’s continued success likely means more entries in his iteration of the series—a win for both die-hard Predator fans and casual moviegoers alike.
Weekend Streaming Viewership (Samba TV, November 7–10, 2025)
| Platform | Title | Timeframe Measured | US Households (Views) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Netflix | Frankenstein | Fri–Sun | 1.8 million |
| Netflix | Death by Lightning (Ep. 1) | Thu–Sun | 690,000 |
| Netflix | Squid Game: The Challenge (Season 2, Ep. 1) | 6 days | 314,000 |
| Amazon Prime Video | Finding Joy | Wed–Sun | 387,000 |
| Amazon Prime Video | Duplicity | First 5 days | 610,000 |
| Netflix | Madea’s Destination Wedding | First 5 days | 2.4 million |
| Netflix | Straw | First 5 days | 2.7 million |
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