Promotional Art for the film ‘Weapons’. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures
The summer movie season is ending with a final twist at the box office. Zach Cregger’s viral horror hit Weapons surged back to the top spot during Labor Day weekend, capping a season that fell just short of last year’s earnings.
The film, which debuted earlier in August, earned $10.2 million in its fourth weekend. The return to first place comes after Netflix’s Kpop Demon Hunters briefly grabbed the crown last weekend, marking the streamer’s first box office victory.
A Classic Makes Waves Again
While Weapons proved its staying power, another film made an unexpected splash. Universal’s 50th anniversary rerelease of Jaws secured second place with $8.1 million across 3,200 North American theaters.
“It’s remarkable to see Jaws still so relevant today,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore. “Every dollar matters in this box office race, and a classic like this boosts the season’s final numbers.”
The rerelease helped bolster summer earnings, which are projected to reach $3.7 billion. That total is slightly below last summer and misses the pre-pandemic benchmark of $4 billion.
“There were casualties this summer,” Dergarabedian noted. “It was crowded, competitive, and not every film delivered. Reaching $4 billion requires nearly every release to perform above expectations.”
Strong Start, Slower Finish
Summer 2024 began with momentum, thanks to early hits like Marvel’s Thunderbolts and Disney’s live-action Lilo & Stitch. But momentum faded by mid-season. Though Weapons stood out as a surprise viral success, several late releases struggled to ignite audience interest.
“It’s been a summer of high-quality movies and strong marketing,” Dergarabedian said. “But the season is ending with a limp rather than a sprint.”
New Releases Join the Race
Labor Day weekend wasn’t just about returning champions. Darren Aronofsky’s crime caper Caught Stealing debuted in third with $7.8 million. The film stars Austin Butler as a 1990s New York bartender swept into the city’s underworld.
Meanwhile, horror-comedy Freakier Friday, which launched earlier alongside Weapons, continued its solid run with $6.5 million, finishing fourth. Romantic drama The Roses followed closely, landing fifth with $6.4 million.
Marvel’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps ranked sixth with $4.8 million. The film opened in late July with a $118 million debut but has seen steady declines in recent weeks. Animated sequel The Bad Guys 2 trailed just behind at $4.7 million.
Superhero staple Superman, released in early July, earned $2.6 million over the holiday weekend to finish eighth. Nobody 2 and The Naked Gun tied for ninth place with $1.8 million each.
Top 10 Movies Over Labor Day Weekend
- Weapons — $10.2 million
- Jaws (1975) — $8.1 million
- Caught Stealing — $7.8 million
- Freakier Friday — $6.5 million
- The Roses — $6.4 million
- The Fantastic Four: First Steps — $4.8 million
- The Bad Guys 2 — $4.7 million
- Superman — $2.6 million
- Nobody 2 — $1.8 million
- The Naked Gun — $1.8 million
Weapons has cemented its place as this summer’s late breakout, while Jaws reminded audiences why some classics never lose their bite.
