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Venom reigns: ‘The Last Dance’ leads box office as ‘Heretic’ and ‘The Best Christmas Pageant Ever’ debut strong
Venom 3 dominates the box office once again
In its third week, Venom: The Last Dance continues its stronghold at the top of the domestic box office. The final chapter of Sony’s comic book saga collected an impressive $16.2 million from 3,905 theaters across North America, despite a 40% drop from the previous weekend. This performance places it well ahead of new releases like A24’s horror thriller Heretic and Lionsgate’s family-friendly The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.
New releases create a buzz
Although neither new release managed to dethrone Venom 3 from the top spot, both achieved commendable opening numbers. A24’s Heretic, starring Hugh Grant in an atypical villain role, grossed $11 million from 3,221 venues, securing the third position. The film follows two young Mormon missionaries who unwittingly disturb a reclusive Englishman, setting off a thrilling chase. Critics applauded the film, which boasts a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite a “C+” grade on CinemaScore, which isn’t uncommon for horror movies with divisive endings, the film has resonated well within the genre.
The mix of horror elements and unpredictable twists reflects the current trend where audiences crave original horror stories that deviate from traditional narratives. The inclusion of well-established actors such as Hugh Grant also contributes to the film’s wider appeal and bolsters its performance at the box office.
The rise of ‘The Best Christmas Pageant Ever’
On a different note, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever also made an impressive debut, claiming the second spot with $11.1 million from 3,020 locations. This figure already includes $2.2 million earned from a one-night-only sneak preview, which speaks to the film’s strong word-of-mouth and audience engagement. Directed by Dallas Jenkins and starring a charming cast including Judy Greer, Pete Holmes, and Lauren Graham, this faith-based, low-budget film has captured the hearts of both critics and viewers. It holds an 89% on Rotten Tomatoes and an “A” grade from CinemaScore.
The film’s plot, centered around six troublesome siblings who unexpectedly salvage a local church pageant, has endeared itself to audiences through its warm, uplifting message. With Thanksgiving around the corner, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever is well-positioned to hold its ground against upcoming holiday releases like Amazon’s Red One and Paramount’s Gladiator II.
Box office trends and the future
The overall domestic box office remains down more than 11% from 2023 and nearly 27% from pre-pandemic 2019. This trend highlights the ongoing challenges the industry faces, yet the horror genre and family films continue to bring in audiences, perhaps providing a roadmap for future releases.
Venom: The Last Dance has now grossed $114 million in North America and $394.2 million globally. While these figures are robust, they fall short of the franchise’s earlier entries, with Venom (2018) earning $213 million domestically and Let There Be Carnage (2021) hitting $506 million worldwide. Nevertheless, the latest installment’s performance remains commendable against its $120 million budget.
Other notable performances
Elsewhere, The Wild Robot from Universal and DreamWorks Animation slipped to fourth place but continued to perform strongly in its seventh week. It earned $6.6 million from 3,051 theaters, a minimal 11% drop from the previous week. With a domestic haul of $130.2 million and $292 million globally, this family film underscores the enduring appeal of well-crafted animated movies.
In fifth place, Paramount’s Smile 2 brought in $5 million from 2,822 locations, declining just 26% from the prior weekend. With $60.5 million domestically and $123.6 million worldwide, this thriller is on track to be profitable, even though it won’t surpass the original’s substantial $105 million North American take.
Underperforming films and surprises
A noteworthy mention is the AI-driven fantasy drama Here, which stars Tom Hanks and Robin Wright as their younger and older selves. The film tumbled to eighth place, earning a modest $2.4 million in its second weekend, with ticket sales dropping 52% from an already soft debut.
In contrast, the Ralph Fiennes-led thriller Conclave maintained a strong presence, pulling in $4.1 million from 2,283 theaters. This Focus Features drama has now amassed a respectable $21.5 million over three weekends, drawing particularly strong audiences from New York and the East Coast.
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