"Arms trade" brimming with fear and financial gain
In the realm of cinematic entertainment, two films have been making waves recently. The highly anticipated sequel to Disney's 2003 classic, "Freaky Friday", titled "Freakier Friday", and the horror-comedy sensation, "Weapons".
"Weapons", directed by Zach Cregger, led the box office during its opening weekend, grossing an impressive $42.5 million nationwide in 3,202 theaters. This strong debut has been followed by an equally impressive performance in the subsequent weeks. Over the past weekend leading to August 18, 2025, "Weapons" added $43.4 million worldwide, bringing its total global gross to approximately $148.7 million.
The film's success is not limited to the United States, as it has also grossed $70 million internationally. This robust performance ranks "Weapons" as the fourth highest grossing horror movie of 2025 up to that point, closely trailing "28 Years Later," which grossed $150.3 million worldwide. Analysts predict that "Weapons" is likely to surpass that soon and become the third highest grossing horror film of the year.
"Weapons" is set in the town of Maybrook, where 17 children leave their homes at 2:17 in the morning. The film explores the persistent effects of trauma in the town through horror, paranoia, and a touch of existential humor.
Meanwhile, "Freakier Friday" is causing a stir with its unique premise. The film features a body swap between mother-daughter and the teenage daughter of Lindsay Lohan and her future stepdaughter. However, details about the specific plot of "Freakier Friday" or its box office performance have yet to be revealed.
Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at data firm Comscore, attributes the success of both films to their ability to encourage audience reaction during the weekend and subsequent social media posting. Viral marketing tactics and strong word-of-mouth promotion on social media have played a significant role in the films' success.
Interestingly, Warner Bros. Pictures had six consecutive films debut with over $40 million nationwide, including "Weapons". The success of "Weapons" gave Warner Bros. Pictures the seventh number one opening of the year.
As we eagerly await more information about "Freakier Friday" and its performance at the box office, it's clear that both films have captured the attention and interest of audiences worldwide. Stay tuned for more updates on these exciting cinematic offerings.
[1] Box Office Mojo. (2025, August 19). Box Office Report: 'Weapons' Tops $148.7M Worldwide. Retrieved from https://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=weapons19082025 [2] Variety. (2025, August 19). 'Weapons' Holds Strong at Box Office, 'Freakier Friday' Debuts. Retrieved from https://variety.com/2025/film/news/weapons-freakier-friday-box-office-1235166969/
" 'Weapons', currently the fourth highest-grossing horror movie of 2025, can be found within the realm of movies-and-tv entertainment, along with other box office sensations like '28 Years Later'."
"Despite 'Freakier Friday' not yet revealing its box office performance, it shares the same category of entertainment with 'Weapon', and the anticipation for its release remains high among movie-goers."
