The cinematic landscape is currently a fascinating mix of gripping horror, nostalgic comedy, intense crime drama, and surprising box office shifts, as detailed across recent releases and ongoing theatrical runs. From supernatural disappearances to body-swapping antics and Corsican mob wars, audiences are finding diverse stories alongside unexpected streaming-to-cinema success stories.

Zach Cregger's latest horror offering, "Weapons," explores a chilling premise where 17 children vanish mysteriously from a US town at 2:17 AM, leaving only one boy behind, Alex (Cary Christopher). Set a month after the incident, the film delves into the rising tensions as devastated parents suspect Justine (Julia Garner), the children's teacher, and Alex of withholding information. Archer Graff (Josh Brolin) portrays a broken father consumed by the CCTV footage of his son's disappearance. The film, divided into several chapters, masterfully builds an eerie atmosphere through its quiet suburban streets and features a strong ensemble cast including a troubled police officer, a thieving junkie, and the school's head teacher, all navigating the town's horror. Cregger, known for "Barbarian," employs horror tropes with class and control, leading to a ferocious and intriguing narrative that refrains from offering a simplistic explanation, leaving audiences with a "furrowed brow and a palpitating heart."

"Weapons" has proven to be a significant box office success. It retained its top spot on Friday, earning $4.7 million, a mere 37% drop from the previous week. This strong hold contributed to its impressive $105 million gross in North America, making it the 13th-biggest release of the calendar year. Globally, the R-rated horror film is on the verge of crossing the $200 million mark, with ticket sales at $199.4 million to date. Its international tally reached $83 million after three weekends, driven by strong performances in the United Kingdom ($11 million), Mexico ($7.5 million), and France ($5.6 million). Notably, the film achieved these figures on a production budget of just $38 million, underscoring its profitability for Warner Bros.

In contrast to the horror, "Freakier Friday" offers a dose of lighthearted comedy, continuing the story from the 2003 original. This sequel, two decades later, sees Anna (Lindsay Lohan) as a music producer and single mother, while Tess (Jamie Lee Curtis) is a podcaster and pickleball enthusiast. The plot revolves around Anna's upcoming marriage to Eric and the blending of their families, a union not everyone is happy about. A magical body swap, facilitated by a fortune-teller, causes Anna to switch with her teen daughter Harper (Julia Butters), and Tess to swap with Eric's daughter Lily. This leads to comical situations, as different generations (Boomer, Millennial, Gen X) experience each other's lives, with highlights including the elders relishing youthful metabolism and the teens grappling with outdated technology. Jamie Lee Curtis and a comfortable Lindsay Lohan deliver entertaining performances. At the box office, "Freakier Friday" secured third place, adding $2.8 million on Friday and is projected to reach approximately $70 million by the end of its third weekend.

Switching gears to crime drama, Julien Colonna's "The Kingdom" transports viewers to 1990s Corsica, painting a bloodthirsty yet beautiful backdrop for a gripping Mob story. The film offers a fresh perspective on gang wars, moving beyond typical Sicilian mafia narratives with its unique setting and standout performances. Colonna, drawing from his Corsican family's Mob connections, provides an authentic portrayal. The story follows teenager Leisa (Ghjuvanna Benedetti), daughter of widowed faction boss Pierre-Paul, as her carefree days are interrupted when she's drawn into her father's world of revenge after an assassination attempt. She bonds with him through fishing, shooting boar, and learning the intricacies of underworld politics. Despite a sometimes slow pace, the captivating performances and a plot rich with murders, complex family dynamics, and revenge maintain audience attention.

Beyond these main features, the box office witnessed other notable developments. Netflix's animated streaming hit, "KPop Demon Hunters," made an unusual theatrical splash, with a two-day sing-along release in over 1,700 locations. This move is significant given Netflix's past stance on theatrical releases and the film's existing status as the platform's second most-watched ever. Universal's specialty label Focus Features released the lesbian noir "Honey Don't!" in 1,417 theaters, earning $1.4 million on Friday and previews, with a projected $3.2 million opening, a stronger start than the co-writers' previous caper, "Drive-Away Dolls." Disney's "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" claimed fourth place, adding $1.6 million on Friday, pushing its domestic total to $252 million. Universal's "The Bad Guys 2" held strong in fifth, projecting $5.1 million in its fourth weekend and a domestic total of $66 million, mirroring its 2022 predecessor. "Nobody 2" is projected to fall to sixth, with $3.5 million in its sophomore outing, but still exceeding its predecessor's performance within the same window. Debuting outside the top 10 were Bleecker Street's thriller "Relay," hoping to surpass $2 million, and Vertical's desert island thriller "Eden." A24 also re-released the Chinese mythological epic "Ne Zha II," which, despite a new English dub, grossed about $690,000 on Friday, a small fraction of its global $2 billion total.

Finally, Warner Bros. celebrated major milestones with two other blockbusters: "Superman" and "F1: The Movie" each surpassed $600 million globally in 2025. "Superman" achieved $604.5 million, with a stronger domestic draw ($347 million), while "F1" reached $603.4 million, showing impressive international staying power ($417 million overseas). Both films demonstrate that original or re-invigorated franchises can still achieve massive success. In the independent film scene, Celine Song's romantic comedy "Materialists," backed by A24 with a $20 million budget and distributed internationally by Sony, added $6.2 million from 57 territories. The film, starring Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal, and Chris Evans, has grossed $48.6 million overseas and $85.1 million globally, marking a rare indie success story driven partly by intense online debates.