October Box Office Hits Lowest in 30 Years
News Context
At a glance
- October 2025 proved to be a notable disappointment for the box office, with both big-budget releases and awards contenders underperforming.
- While some films offered glimmers of hope, they were insufficient to offset the widespread underperformance of major releases.
- Paul Dergarabedian, Comscore's head of marketplace trends, described the month as "an inauspicious Halloween [that] ended a rather challenging month of October at the box office."
October 2025 Box Office: A Dismal Month
Table of Contents
October 2025 proved to be a notable disappointment for the box office, with both big-budget releases and awards contenders underperforming. Overall revenues were the lowest in decades.
Key Statistics
- Total October Revenue: $425 million
- Worst October As: 1997 (not adjusted for inflation)
- 1997 October Revenue: $385 million
- Worst Weekend of 2025: Halloween weekend – $49 million
Contributing Factors
- Lack of New Releases: A dearth of new films contributed to the low turnout.
- halloween on Friday: The timing of halloween on a Friday diverted family attention to trick-or-treating.
- World Series: the Los Angeles Dodgers’ victory over the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 7 of the Major League Baseball championships drew viewers away from theaters on Saturday night.
Top Performing (and Underperforming) Films
While some films offered glimmers of hope, they were insufficient to offset the widespread underperformance of major releases.
| Film Title | Reported Revenue (October) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tron: Ares | Not Specified | Underperformed expectations |
| The smashing Machine | Not Specified | Underperformed expectations |
| Regretting You | Holdover Title - Topped Charts | Paramount - Colleen Hoover adaptation |
| Black Phone 2 | Holdover Title – Topped Charts | Worldwide – Sequel |
| The Release Party of a Showgirl | not Specified | Taylor Swift Concert Film – Bright Spot |
| Chainsaw Man | Not Specified | Sony/Crunchyroll – Bright Spot |
| After the hunt | $7.8 million | Underperformed expectations |
Paul Dergarabedian, Comscore’s head of marketplace trends, described the month as “an inauspicious Halloween [that] ended a rather challenging month of October at the box office.”