‘Black Phone 2’ answers the call with $26.5M opening weekend

Hello! Welcome to The Box Office Report for the weekend of Oct. 17-19, 2025.

1. Black Phone 2

Weekend gross: $26.5M
Total domestic gross: $26.5M
Last weekend: New release
Percent drop: NA

It’s 2025 and a horror movie featuring a payphone booth scored the No. 1 spot at the box office. Black Phone 2, the sequel to the 2022 surprise hit, grossed $26.5 million its opening weekend, improving on its predecessor‘s $23.6 million debut.

The original Black Phone, directed by Scott Derrickson and written by Derrickson and C. Robert Carroll, finished with a $90.1 million domestic haul and a $161.4 million worldwide haul. Does the sequel have the juice to capitalize on the first film’s success (and a spooky pre-Halloween opening slot) and pass the $100 million mark in North America?

2. Tron: Ares

Weekend gross: $11.1M
Total domestic gross: $54.6M
Last weekend: 1st
Percent drop: 66

Over here at Popculturology, I’m not going to pretend that Jared Leto isn’t to blame for Tron: Ares’ failure. If everyone hates the Tron franchise so much, how come Tron: Legacy stood at $87.4 million in North America through its second weekend while Tron: Ares is only at $54.6 million?