Sci Fi Box Office: Weekly post tracking the performance of sci fi and fantasy movies in the theaters and on streaming.
Box Office Results
This past weekend was a good one for sci fi and fantasy entries, with the genre capturing seven of the top eight spots and half of the Top 20 overall. But it was not so good for the late Summer arrivals, with both Coyote vs. Acme and Dog Stars seeing less-than-spectacular opening days. The former film did make it to the Number 2 slot pulling in nearly $16 million in domestic receipts, though it has a long ways to go to recoup its $70 million budget. But it was a minor miracle that it made it to the theaters in the first place, and it has not had its foreign release yet, so we will see how it tracks in the coming weeks. Less promising was Ridley Scott’s Dog Stars which only made it to the Number 5 slot with $7.7 million across North America for its premiere, an all-time low premiere for the director. That one has not been getting very positive buzz, and it was made on a budget of $110 million, so it may be on track to join this Summer’s other theatrical flops like Supergirl, Masters of the Universe, and Mortal Kombat II.
The horror comedy Buddy opened at the Number 6 slot with $5.5 million in domestic receipts and since it was made on a budget of less than $3 million, it is already close to recouping its costs. Indie zombie film Colony made it to Number 16 in limited release, and that one will be looking to home video and streaming to turn a profit. The Power Rangers-like Legend of the White Dragon hit Number 18 for its limited theatrical premiere, and it will also be looking at digital viewing and physical media to determine if it counts as a success. Indie horror film It Ends expanded its presence in theaters, as I predicted last week, rising to Number 13 in its second week as it continues to get more attention. Below are all of the genre films from the Top 20 (and a few just outside) based on the weekend results.
Domestic Box Office Results for the Weekend of August 28th to 30th:
| Rank | Prior | Title | Weekend Gross | Theaters | Average | Total Gross | Weeks |
| 1 | 1 | Spider-Man: Brand New Day | $22,513,101 | 3678 | $6,121 | $891,821,029 | 5 |
| 2 | – | Coyote vs. Acme | $15,914,007 | 3575 | $4,451 | $15,914,007 | 1 |
| 3 | 3 | The Odyssey | $14,353,795 | 2617 | $5,484 | $563,875,400 | 7 |
| 4 | 2 | Insidious: Out of the Further | $10,204,695 | 3303 | $3,089 | $43,734,802 | 2 |
| 5 | – | The Dog Stars | $7,709,729 | 3330 | $2,315 | $7,709,729 | 1 |
| 6 | – | Buddy | $5,531,024 | 1277 | $4,331 | $5,531,024 | 1 |
| 8 | 5 | The End of Oak Street | $4,902,312 | 2923 | $1,677 | $45,982,436 | 3 |
| 13 | 32 | It Ends | $719,690 | 340 | $2,116 | $809,235 | 2 |
| 16 | – | Colony | $676,801 | 411 | $1,646 | $676,801 | 1 |
| 18 | – | Legend of the White Dragon | $542,891 | 596 | $910 | $542,891 | 1 |
| 22 | 11 | The Magic Faraway Tree | $285,452 | 671 | $425 | $2,159,044 | 2 |
Source: BoxOfficeMojo.com
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Streaming Results
Masters of the Universe had an impressive start last week, topping the Nielsen Streaming Rankings with over one billion minutes viewed. But it slipped down to Number 4 in its second week, with about half the amount of viewership it had for its premiere. It looks like this one may not become a streaming darling, likely putting an end to any chances of a sequel. Netflix’s original film The Last House slipped to Number 3 in its fourth week, pulling in 10.9 million hours watched across 5.8 million accounts. That one has done well for the streamer, and they could consider moving forward with a sequel. Following are all the genre films from the Nielsen Streaming Rankings and the Netflix Top 10:
Nielsen Streaming Rankings for the Week of July 27th:
| Rank | SVOD Provider | Program Name | Minutes Viewed (Millions) |
| 4 | Prime Video | Masters of the Universe (2026) | 588 |
| 6 | Prime Video | Project Hail Mary | 411 |
| 7 | Disney+ | Spider-Man: No Way Home | 405 |
| 8 | Disney+ | Netflix | Spider-Man: Homecoming | 364 |
Source: Nielsen
Netflix Top 10 for the Week of August 24th (Ranked Based on Views):
| Rank | Title | Wks in Chart | Hours Watched | Views |
| 3 | The Last House | 4 | 10,900,000 | 5,800,000 |
| 8 | KPop Demon Hunters | 63 | 4,800,000 | 2,900,000 |
| 10 | 2012 | 1 | 7,000,000 | 2,700,000 |
Source: Netflix
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