Predator: Badlands’ Epic Start: $15.6 Million on Opening Day!

The science fiction sequel “Predator: Badlands” is currently leading the box office rankings, outshining a variety of films aimed at adult audiences such as Jennifer Lawrence’s “Die My Love,” Sydney Sweeney’s “Christy,” and the Russell Crowe and Rami Malek starrer “Nuremberg,” which are also making their debuts but at lower positions.

The new “Predator” movie has garnered an impressive $15.6 million from Friday and its preview showings across 3,725 venues. This strong start suggests it will surpass its initial weekend forecasts, which ranged between $25 million and $30 million. For comparison, the Disney re-launch of another science fiction title, “Alien: Romulus,” which was part of the assets acquired from 20th Century Fox in 2019, debuted at $42 million in August 2024.

Moreover, “Predator: Badlands” might even set a new record for the franchise’s biggest opening weekend if it continues to perform well on Saturday. The current record is held by the 2004 film “Alien vs. Predator,” which opened at $38 million. Notably, the “Predator” series has been absent from theaters in recent times, with the last two installments, the 2022 prequel “Prey” and this year’s “Predator: Killer of Killers” anthology, having premiered on Hulu and Disney+. The PG-13-rated “Badlands,” directed again by Dan Trachtenberg, features Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi as a young Predator outcast and Elle Fanning as his legless android ally.

Disney invested $105 million in the production of “Predator: Badlands,” in addition to significant marketing expenditures. Although this is considerably lower than the $180 million spent on the recent box office disappointment “Tron: Ares,” “Badlands” is set to outdo “Ares”’s $33 million opening weekend and has received more favorable reviews, likely boosting its performance in coming weeks. Early audience reactions have also been positive, earning it an “A-” from Cinema Score.

Of the other new wide releases this weekend, Amazon MGM Studios’ “Sarah’s Oil” is performing the best, expected to take fourth place after bringing in $1.7 million from Friday and previews across 2,410 locations. The film, set in the early 1900s and rated PG, tells the story of one of the first Black women to become a millionaire. It has not been widely reviewed by critics, but CinemaScore audiences have given it a top “A+” rating.

Sony Pictures Classics is showcasing the historical courtroom drama “Nuremberg” in 1,802 theaters following its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September. It’s expected to rank fifth with about $1.4 million in earnings from Friday and previews. The film has received moderately positive reviews, though it is not overwhelmingly acclaimed. SPC acquired the rights from producers Walden Media and Bluestone Entertainment in June.

Meanwhile, Mubi’s “Die My Love,” featuring Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson, has been released in 1,983 theaters, marking the widest release for the indie-focused distributor. The film opened with approximately $1 million from Friday and previews. Despite the significant $24 million acquisition cost at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, the arthouse drama has not resonated well with general audiences, receiving a “D+” grade from CinemaScore.

In a bid for Oscar recognition, Black Bear Pictures has launched “Christy,” starring Sydney Sweeney as boxer Christy Martin, in 2,011 theaters. The film had a modest start with about $670,000 across Friday and previews. Like “Nuremberg,” the film has earned respectable reviews and received a “B+” grade from CinemaScore audiences.

Paramount’s “Regretting You” is set to claim second place this weekend, earning another $2.2 million on Friday and aiming for a $7.3 million third weekend total, representing only a slight 7% drop from the previous week. The adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s work continues to perform well, with an expected cumulative domestic gross of $38 million by Sunday.

In third place, Universal’s “Black Phone 2” brought in $1.5 million on Friday and is projected to earn $5.2 million in its fourth weekend, a 38% decrease from the last. The Blumhouse sequel is expected to reach a total domestic earnings of $70 million by Sunday, slightly trailing its predecessor, which had accumulated $72 million by this point in its release.

Focus Features’ thriller “Bugonia,” featuring a reunion of Yorgos Lanthimos and Emma Stone, is competing for sixth place, earning $1.1 million on Friday. It’s projected to make $3.7 million in its second weekend, indicating a 26% drop. The film should reach a total domestic gross of $12.5 million by Sunday.