This weekend’s box office saw a neon-lit comeback for a legacy sci-fi franchise while an oddball dramedy and a war thriller battled for second place. Family audiences remained steady, and faith-based fare continued to carve out space in the lower half of the chart.

Tron: Ares Lights Up The Box Office

Greta Lee looking up in horror in Tron: Ares.

isney’s Tron: Ares opened to a strong $33.5 million, landing right in line with my expectations. The long-awaited sequel brought sleek visuals and high-energy action that resonated with audiences craving big-screen spectacle. Jared Leto delivers a solid performance, but Greta Lee’s scene-stealing turn and the film’s stunning production design are the true standouts.

Roofman Opens Soft But Promising

Universal’s offbeat comedy-drama Roofman debuted with $8.0 million, on the lower end of box office projections. The Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst-led film has earned positive word-of-mouth for its mix of humor and melancholy, which could help it find legs through strong audience recommendations. For an original adult-skewing title in today’s market, this start isn’t half bad.

One Battle After Another Holds Steady

In its third weekend, One Battle After Another added $6.7 million, showing solid staying power. The gritty war drama has maintained strong audience retention thanks to word-of-mouth and its grounded, emotional storytelling. It’s shaping up as one of the better mid-budget success stories ar the box office for the fall season.

Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie Keeps The Kids Coming

DreamWorks’ Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie brought in another $3.4 million at the box office. The family-friendly spinoff continues to pull in steady numbers, thanks to limited competition and the strong brand recognition of the Netflix series. Parents looking for a reliable and wholesome weekend outing are keeping this one afloat.

Soul on Fire Finds Its Faithful Audience

The inspirational drama Soul on Fire earned $3.0 million in its debut, a decent showing for a niche faith-based title. Modest marketing and positive feedback from church groups could give it a long tail as it rolls out to more regions over the next couple of weeks at the box office.

Next Weekend Predictions

Next weekend’s major newcomer is Universal’s The Black Phone 2, which is tracking between $20 million and $28 million. I’m calling it at $26 million. The sequel benefits from the first film’s strong reputation, Ethan Hawke’s chilling return, and the pre-Halloween timing that gives horror an edge at the box office. With limited genre competition and a built-in fanbase, this one should easily scare up a solid opening frame.

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