Theater counts: Send Help continues in its widest release going into its second frame.

February 5, 2026

Four newcomers hit theaters over the weekend, all aiming for the top spot at the box office. The real showdown, however, came down to Sam Raimi’s thriller Send Help and Markiplier’s horror feature Iron Lung. It turned into one of the closer races in recent memory, with Send Help narrowly claiming the win by less than $1 million over the three-day frame. Elsewhere, Melania debuted to $7.16 million while Shelter rounded out the newcomers with $5.53 million.

Three wide releases make their theatrical debut this weekend, with the largest footprint belonging to the romantic comedy Solo Mio. The film stars Kevin James as Matt, a man whose dreams of a picturesque Italian wedding are shattered when his fiancée leaves him at the altar. Matt embarks on his planned honeymoon across Italy alone, immersing himself in the country’s vibrant culture, food, and beauty. Directed by brothers Charles and Daniel Kinnane, Solo Mio will open in 3,052 locations across North America.

Also opening this weekend is The Strangers: Chapter 3. Despite its title, the film marks the fifth entry in The Strangers franchise, and stars Madelaine Petsch as Maya, the lone survivor of the Strangers, who must face the masked killers one last time in a brutal, full-circle reckoning of survival and revenge. The Renny Harlin-directed feature will be available in 2,565 movie houses.

Also opening in 1,200 theaters this weekend is another horror entry, Whistle. The film follows a misfit group of unsuspecting high school students who stumble upon a cursed object—an ancient Aztec Death Whistle. They soon learn that blowing the whistle unleashes a terrifying sound that summons manifestations of their future deaths to hunt them down. As the body count rises, the friends race to uncover the origins of the deadly artifact in a desperate attempt to stop the horrifying chain of events they’ve set in motion.

Rounding out the top five for this weekend is Iron Lung, which holds the third-widest release in the marketplace with 2,916 theaters. Shelter maintains its original footprint of 2,726 locations as it heads into its second weekend. Meanwhile, global juggernaut Zootopia 2, which has amassed $1.78 billion worldwide, continues to play in a still-wide 2,715 venues.

Looking ahead to next weekend, we have a plethora of new films ready to make their cinematic debut. “Wuthering Heights” and GOAT are expected to arrive in approximately 3,500 locations, while Amazon MGM Studios will release its thriller, Crime 101, in approximately 3,000 theaters.

Filed under: Theater Counts