The summer movie season has witnessed an unexpected phenomenon, with horror films dominating the box office charts. Leading this charge is Paramount’s "Scary Movie," which secured the top spot with an impressive $55 million in its opening weekend. This R-rated parody extended a surprising streak for horror comedies, captivating audiences and exceeding initial expectations. Its strong performance cemented a new record for the franchise, surpassing the $49.7 million benchmark previously held by 2006's "Scary Movie 4" (not adjusted for inflation). Financed by Miramax for $30 million, the film is poised for significant financial success, having already accumulated $105.5 million globally from 53 markets. Industry analyst David A. Gross noted that this is "an outstanding opening for a comedy sequel this far into its series" and a "huge bounce-back" following the disappointing 2013 installment which notably excluded Anna Faris and Regina Hall.

The success of "Scary Movie" was amplified by the strong showings of two other horror films, "Backrooms" and "Obsession," which also captured significant attention, particularly from Gen Z audiences. "Backrooms" landed in third place despite a 70% decline in ticket sales during its second weekend, still managing a stellar $25.9 million from 3,565 venues. Its cumulative earnings stand at $135 million in North America and an impressive $212.6 million globally, making it A24's highest-grossing worldwide release, surpassing "Marty Supreme." "Obsession," a frenetic thriller about romantic fixation, secured fourth place in its fourth weekend with a mere 7% decline, bringing in $25.6 million. This low-budget horror sensation has shown unprecedented staying power, with ticket sales increasing in its second and third weekends, and has generated $152.1 million in North America, with projections to cross the $200 million mark globally soon. Focus Features is distributing "Obsession."

A significant contrast to the horror genre's triumph was the underwhelming debut of Amazon MGM’s sword-and-planet adventure, "Masters of the Universe." The film premiered at No. 2 but garnered a soft $29.3 million in North America, a particularly concerning figure given its substantial production cost of nearly $200 million, not including marketing expenses. This weak opening suggests a challenging road ahead for the film to justify its budget, especially considering that theater owners retain approximately 50% of ticket sales. Gross commented on its "soft opening for an action adventure with franchise and series potential," highlighting that only the "biggest and most established superheroes, like Spider-Man, Deadpool, Wolverine, and Superman," are currently achieving strong business in the fantasy hero genre. Based on the iconic Mattel action figure He-Man, "Masters of the Universe" marks Mattel’s second theatrical film after "Barbie." Its initial audience was largely composed of fans of the '80s toy and cartoon, indicating a need to appeal to broader audiences for profitability. Amazon MGM's domestic distribution chief Kevin Wilson, however, expressed a different perspective, stating the opening "validates our holistic distribution strategy—building awareness and engagement that will carry well beyond the theatrical window."

The return of the original creative team behind "Scary Movie" was a key factor in its success. The Wayans brothers—Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Keenen Ivory Wayans, and Craig Wayans—wrote the script alongside Rick Alvarez, with Marlon and Shawn reprising their roles as Shorty and Ray, marking their first involvement since 2001’s "Scary Movie 2." Anna Faris and Regina Hall also returned to their iconic characters, Cindy and Brenda, for the first time since "Scary Movie 4." The film cleverly skewers popular Hollywood tropes, including sequels, reboots, remakes, prequels, spinoffs, and origin stories. With no shortage of material since the last installment in 2013, "Scary Movie" targets recent horror hits like "Get Out," "Weapons," "M3GAN," "Longlegs," "Scream," and even "Backrooms."

Conversely, "Masters of the Universe" endured a long and arduous development journey reminiscent of Prince Adam’s quest to Eternia. Since 2007, the property cycled through various studios—including Netflix, Warner Bros., and Sony Pictures—and numerous writers, directors, and stars before Amazon MGM acquired the rights in 2024. Travis Knight ("Bumblebee") was brought in to direct, and Nicholas Galitzine cast as the blond-haired god, He-Man. The narrative follows Prince Adam’s journey to embrace his true identity as He-Man after the evil Skeletor brutally seizes power in Eternia.

Beyond these major releases, Fathom Entertainment’s "The Amazing Digital Circus: The Last Act" secured fifth place with $19.4 million. Disney’s "Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu" took sixth place, adding $10 million to its domestic haul, pushing it to $155.8 million, with global earnings reaching $293.6 million.