Warner Bros.' latest release, 'Clayface,' has emerged as the top-grossing film at the North American box office this past weekend, raking in an estimated $24 million. This figure contributed significantly to the total domestic box office earnings of nearly $95 million for the October 23-25 weekend, marking a notable 21.8% increase compared to the same period last year. However, ticket sales saw an 11.2% decline from the previous weekend, according to Paul Dergarabedian, head of marketplace trends at Rentrak.
International Success and Domestic Competitors
Directed by James Watkins and featuring performances by David Dencik and Naomi Ackie, 'Clayface' opened in 3,458 theaters and secured approximately $19 million from international markets, bringing its global debut total to around $43 million. This DC Comics horror film's strong performance underscores the ongoing recovery of the theatrical exhibition industry.
Following closely behind, A24's documentary 'You Can See Everything' claimed the second spot with $19.5 million. The film, which delves into the story of Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes and filmmaker Nathan Fielder, saw a 25% increase from its opening weekend as it expanded to 2,655 locations. Its total domestic earnings have reached $45.1 million.
The diversity in the weekend's box office offerings highlights the potential for theater operators like AMC Entertainment, Cinemark Holdings, and IMAX to benefit from a varied slate of releases. The domestic box office has accumulated $8.36 billion this year through October 25, a 20.2% rise from the $6.95 billion recorded during the same period in 2025. This trend suggests that audiences are willing to return to theaters when presented with a compelling array of films, although profitability for distributors remains contingent on factors such as production costs, marketing expenses, and revenue-sharing agreements.
Variety in Film Genres
LAIKA's stop-motion animated film 'Wildwood,' distributed by Fathom Entertainment, debuted in third place with $11.8 million from 2,779 theaters. The PG-13 adventure, directed by Travis Knight and featuring the voices of Carey Mulligan and Jacob Tremblay, follows a young girl's quest to rescue her brother in a mysterious forest.
Paramount's 'Street Fighter' took fourth place, earning $8.6 million, a significant 72.1% drop from its opening weekend. Despite a strong initial turnout, the video-game adaptation's domestic earnings stand at $46.9 million, with a worldwide total of $79.6 million, raising questions about its long-term appeal.
Rounding out the top five, Black Bear's romantic fantasy 'Wicker,' starring Olivia Colman, Alexander Skarsgård, and Elizabeth Debicki, debuted with $5.75 million from 1,471 theaters.
The weekend's top films spanned a range of genres, including superhero horror, documentary, animation, action, and romantic fantasy. This variety indicates that theatrical demand is not confined to traditional blockbuster franchises, potentially offering studios more opportunities to reach audiences with smaller and unconventional productions.
Among other releases, Universal's 'Other Mommy' earned $3.85 million in its third weekend, bringing its domestic total to $51.5 million. Focus Features' 'Sense and Sensibility' collected $3.4 million in its second weekend, while 20th Century Studios' 'Whalefall' added $3.2 million.
Amazon MGM Studios' 'Verity,' featuring Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson, took in $3.06 million in its fourth weekend, with its worldwide box office reaching approximately $162.7 million, including $71.5 million domestically.
Sony's 'Resident Evil' remained in the top 10 during its sixth weekend, earning $3 million and lifting its domestic total to $153.7 million.
IMAX's Contribution to Box Office Revenue
Premium-format screenings continue to be a significant revenue source for exhibitors. IMAX theaters generated approximately $8 million worldwide over the weekend, supported by a mix of Hollywood releases, international films, and special events.
'Street Fighter' contributed $2.5 million to global IMAX ticket sales, with $1.8 million coming from North America. IMAX accounted for about 21% of the film's domestic weekend gross, highlighting the importance of premium ticket pricing in theatrical revenue.
Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey' added $1.5 million in its 15th weekend, bringing its cumulative worldwide IMAX revenue to $553 million, representing 31% of the film's global theatrical gross.
'Resident Evil' generated another $1 million through IMAX screenings, including $800,000 in China, bringing its worldwide IMAX total to $37.6 million.
IMAX also benefited from Japanese releases of Studio Ghibli's 'Whisper of the Heart' and 'The Secret World of Arrietty,' which generated $650,000 and $440,000, respectively.
Looking ahead, IMAX plans an exclusive North American engagement of 'Once Upon a Time in… Hollywood' at 183 locations next weekend, in anticipation of the November 25 release of 'The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth.'
Top 10 Domestic Box Office Films, October 23-25, 2026
Estimated weekend ticket sales, according to Rentrak. Figures are rounded.
- Clayface: $24.00M (New)
- You Can See Everything: $19.50M (+25%)
- Wildwood: $11.78M (New)
- Street Fighter: $8.60M (-72%)
- Wicker: $5.75M (New)
- Other Mommy: $3.85M (-53%)
- Sense and Sensibility: $3.40M (-53%)
- Whalefall: $3.20M (-59%)
- Verity: $3.06M (-49%)
- Resident Evil: $3.00M (-45%)
Total for the top 10: $86.14M
Footnotes:
- 'Clayface' led the box office with $24 million in domestic ticket sales. Source.
- The domestic box office totaled $94.9 million for the weekend, up 21.8% from the previous year. Source.
- IMAX theaters generated approximately $8 million worldwide over the weekend. Source.
Featured Image: DepositPhotos @ gvictoria