The new sports thriller ‘Him,’ about a football player chasing greatness, failed to live up to box office expectations. The film debuted to $13.5 million from 3,168 North American theaters, falling short of earlier projections of $15 million. That performance was enough for second place but not enough to knock off reigning champ ‘Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Infinity Castle,’ which collected $17.3 million in its second weekend.

Meanwhile, another new release, ‘A Big Bold Beautiful Journey,’ fell flat, earning only $3.5 million from 3,330 locations, falling below its already modest $8–10 million forecast. Despite the presence of Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell, poor reviews (38% on Rotten Tomatoes) and weak audience reception (“B-” CinemaScore) spelled trouble for its long-term prospects. This film holds a $45 million budget.

‘Him’ also stumbled overseas, grossing just $400,000 from 25 international markets, bringing its global total to $13.86 million. With a $27 million production budget, the film doesn’t need a blockbuster run to break even, but it faces an uphill climb given its poor reception—28% on Rotten Tomatoes and a “C-” CinemaScore. Directed by Justin Tipping and produced by Jordan Peele, the psychological thriller stars Marlon Wayans as an aging quarterback mentoring a young athlete (Tyriq Withers) with unsettling results.

While the newcomers struggled, ‘Demon Slayer’ continued its record-breaking streak. With $103 million domestically, it is now the highest-grossing anime release ever in North America. Though down about 75% from its massive $70 million debut, this weekend’s $17.3 million haul would have been considered strong even as an opening. Globally, the film has amassed $555 million ($451 million from international markets) and is the first in a trilogy about a boy who becomes a demon slayer to avenge his family and save his sister.

Elsewhere on the charts, ‘The Conjuring: Last Rites’ placed third with $13 million from 3,413 locations in its third weekend. It has now reached $151.2 million domestically and $400 million worldwide, making it the most successful entry in the franchise. The film’s performance helped Warner Bros.’ New Line Cinema surpass $1 billion in box office revenue for the year, bolstered by horror hits like ‘Final Destination: Bloodlines’ and ‘Weapons.’

In a tie for fourth place, Lionsgate’s Stephen King adaptation ‘The Long Walk’ and Focus Features’ ‘Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale’ each brought in an estimated $6.3 million. ‘The Long Walk’ dropped 46% from its debut, tallying $22.7 million domestically on a $20 million budget. ‘Downton Abbey’ fell more steeply—66%—and has grossed $31.6 million in North America and $59.5 million worldwide. By comparison, the first ‘Downton Abbey’ film earned $96 million domestically and nearly $200 million globally back in 2019, while its 2022 sequel ‘A New Era’ finished with $44 million domestic and $92.6 million worldwide.

Paul Thomas Anderson’s action epic ‘One Battle After Another’ is just around the corner, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, and set to release on September 26, while Taylor Swift’s newly announced concert film ‘The Official Release Party of a Showgirl’ is set to arrive on October 3. This will give the box office a jumpstart during the fall season.

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