Summer Box Office Struggles: 'Jaws' Rerelease and 'Weapons' Lead Slow Season
August 31, 2025
While 'Freakier Friday' and 'The Roses' earned $6.5 million and $6.4 million respectively, 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' saw a decline since its debut, with other top performers including 'Caught Stealing' at $7.8 million and 'The Roses' at $6.4 million.
The holiday weekend saw 'Weapons' reclaim the top spot at the US box office with $10.2 million, and it remains the top film for four consecutive weekends, earning a total of around $234.6 million globally.
The summer box office has been sluggish overall, with the 50th rerelease of 'Jaws' helping boost earnings by $8.1 million, but still falling short of the pre-pandemic $4 billion benchmark, and the season expected to just miss last year's $3.7 billion total.
Despite some high-performing films like 'Jaws' and 'Weapons,' the summer has been characterized by a slow finish, with 'Weapons' dominating the holiday weekend by earning $10.2 million in its fourth weekend and maintaining its top spot for four consecutive weeks.
Other notable new releases included 'Caught Stealing,' starring Austin Butler, which debuted with $7.8 million, and 'Freakier Friday,' earning $6.5 million, alongside 'The Roses,' 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps,' and 'The Bad Guys 2,' all contributing to the box office scene.
Other top performers included 'The Bad Guys 2' with $4.7 million and 'Superman' with $2.6 million, rounding out the top ten box office hits for the weekend.
The 'Jaws' anniversary re-release opened in second place during Labor Day with an estimated four-day gross of $9.8 million, competing with newer releases and drawing audiences despite mixed reviews.
Despite positive reviews, films like 'Caught Stealing' and 'The Roses' opened with tepid audience scores, though 'The Roses' performed better internationally with a $9.2 million opening, helping to push its worldwide gross to an estimated $17.2 million.
Overall, the Labor Day box office was sluggish, with 'Weapons' in its fourth week earning $12.4 million over four days, and the total domestic gross reaching approximately $134.6 million against a $38 million budget.
Early summer releases like 'Thunderbolts' and 'Lilo & Stitch' performed well, but the latter half of summer saw a decline, with many films underperforming despite successes like 'Weapons,' leading to a 'limping' season overall.
Searchlight's 'The Roses,' featuring Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman, earned an estimated $6 million over three days, with mixed reviews but generally positive audience scores, adding to the diverse lineup of summer releases.
The crime comedy 'Caught Stealing,' set in 1998 and starring Austin Butler, debuted at third place with $7.8 million, though it received mixed reviews and moderate audience enthusiasm, reflecting a cautious industry environment.
Summary based on 9 sources
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Sources

ABC News • Aug 31, 2025
'Weapons' regains top spot, 'Jaws' rerelease 2nd as summer box office winds down
The Hollywood Reporter • Aug 31, 2025
Box Office: ‘Weapons’ Wins Quiet Labor Day With $12.4M, ‘Jaws’ Beats ‘Caught Stealing,’ ‘The Roses’
Variety • Aug 31, 2025
Box Office: Weapons Is No. 1, Jaws Re-Release Beats Newcomers