Theater counts: New challengers step up, but The Fantastic Four holds its ground as the widest release

July 31, 2025

The Fantastic Four: First Steps soared out of the gate with an impressive $118 million haul at the domestic box office in its opening weekend, cementing its status as a summer blockbuster heavyweight. The reboot’s strong debut gave Marvel’s first family a commanding lead, but the road ahead isn’t without obstacles. This weekend brings fresh competition in the form of The Naked Gun, a slapstick revival aiming to tickle audiences, and The Bad Guys 2, the animated sequel with a loyal following and plenty of momentum. With these newcomers entering the fray, The Fantastic Four will need to hold its ground to stay on top of the box office charts.

Rolling out in 3,852 theaters for its opening weekend, The Bad Guys 2 returns with its signature blend of mischief and mayhem. Directed again by Pierre Perifel, the animated sequel reunites Mr. Wolf, Mr. Shark, Mr. Snake, Mr. Piranha, and Ms. Tarantula—former criminals turned do-gooders—whose quiet lives are upended when a rival crew, The Bad Girls, forces them into “one last job” involving a powerful substance called macguffinite. The film features the voices of Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Craig Robinson, Anthony Ramos, and Awkwafina. The first installment took in $24 million in its opening weekend back in April 2022 and went on to capture $97 million in domestic earnings throughout its 18-week run.

Also making its theatrical debut this weekend is The Naked Gun, opening in 3,344 theaters across North America. Directed by Akiva Schaffer and starring Liam Neeson as Lt. Frank Drebin Jr., the film serves as a direct sequel to 1994’s Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult and the fourth installment in the beloved slapstick franchise. Neeson’s Drebin Jr. inherits his father’s chaotic legacy, leading Police Squad with a “particular set of skills” to save the world from absurd peril. Co-starring with Neeson are Hollywood veterans Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser, and Danny Huston.

Opening in 2,100 locations this weekend, Together is a haunting new body horror film starring Dave Franco and Alison Brie as a couple whose strained relationship is pushed to terrifying extremes. Directed by Michael Shanks, the story follows Tim and Millie as they relocate to the countryside, only to face a nightmarish encounter with a mysterious force that threatens to unravel their love—and their very flesh. The film officially opened on Wednesday, earning $2.65 million, including $1.3 million from Tuesday previews.

Rounding out the top five this weekend is the current box office champ, Fantastic Four, leading the way, retaining its full 4,125-theater footprint from its debut weekend. Superman, still soaring in its third week, is showing in 3,537 theaters and has officially crossed the $300 million domestic mark, making it the ninth DC film to do so and the highest-grossing solo Superman movie in North American history. Lastly, just recently crossing the $300 million mark itself is Jurassic World Rebirth. That film will be playing in 3,240 theaters this weekend.

Looking ahead to next weekend, three new films are set to hit domestic theaters: Freakier Friday, Weapons, and Sketch (which will open slightly earlier on Wednesday, August 6th). They are expected to debut in roughly 3,800, 3,200, and 2,000 venues, respectively.

Filed under: Theater Counts, Jurassic Park, Naked Gun, Superman, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Freaky Friday, The Bad Guys, Liam Neeson, Pamela Anderson, Michael Shanks, Dave Franco, Akiva Schaffer, Alison Brie