Particle.news
Download on the App Store
17 ARTICLES
·
2h ago

Scary Movie Tops Weekend Box Office as Masters of the Universe Stumbles

A low‑cost Wayans reboot converted strong previews into a franchise‑record opening, forcing Amazon MGM’s costly He‑Man movie to depend on overseas sales and merchandise to recoup its budget.

Image
Cast members of Masters of the Universe walking through a cavern with a large skeletal jaw to the left, smoke filling the air, and lit candles to the right, Chiwetel Ejiofor as a character from the movie BACKROOMS, The movie Obsession with Michael Johnston, Megan Lawless, and Cooper Tomlinson with others in a dark room
Image
Masters Of The Universe Gets A Disappointing CinemaScore Ahead Of Tough Opening Weekend At U.S. Box Office

Overview

  • Scary Movie opened to roughly $56 million this weekend, the biggest debut in the franchise’s history and a strong return for the Wayans‑led reboot.
  • Scary Movie’s preview strength and a reported $30 million production budget give Paramount early profit room and increase the film’s chances for sequels.
  • Masters of the Universe landed in the low‑$30 million range domestically after modest previews, a start widely seen as short of what is needed against its reported $170–$200 million cost.
  • Audience metrics were split: CinemaScore graded Masters a B and Scary Movie a C+, signaling better viewer satisfaction for He‑Man but far stronger opening turnout for the comedy.
  • Smaller, low‑cost hits like Backrooms and Obsession and event releases such as The Amazing Digital Circus continued to post outsized returns, tightening box‑office space for big, nostalgia‑driven tentpoles.