Pixar’s Inside Out 2 is poised to lead the domestic box office once more, facing off against two new wide releases. The Disney sequel brought in an additional $17.1 million on Friday, marking a 43% drop from its impressive $30.5 million opening a week earlier. A three-day gross exceeding $53 million would place it among the ten largest third weekends for a domestic release in history, aiming for a spot between seventh and tenth, currently held by films like The Super Mario Bros. Movie ($59.9 million), Spider-Man: No Way Home ($56 million), The Avengers ($55.6 million), and Jurassic World ($54.5 million).
By Sunday, Inside Out 2 is expected to surpass a North American total of $468 million. With the billion-dollar global milestone on the horizon, it stands to be the first film of the calendar year to achieve this, following in the footsteps of Barbie.
A Quiet Place: Day One is projected to secure the second spot, outperforming initial expectations and closing the gap with Inside Out 2. The Paramount release earned $22.5 million from 3,708 theaters on Friday and through preview screenings, surpassing the single-day gross of director John Krasinski’s 2021 sequel ($19.3 million) and setting a franchise record. Its opening weekend is now projected to reach $53 million, exceeding the 2018 original’s debut of $50.2 million.
With a production budget of $67 million, Day One has been well-received by critics and early audiences alike, earning a B+ grade from CinemaScore—an impressive feat for a horror film. Directed by Michael Sarnoski, the prequel set in New York City stars Lupita Nyong’o, Joseph Quinn, Alex Wolff, and Djimon Hounsou. This strong opening suggests the film will maintain its momentum in the weeks ahead.
Meanwhile, Kevin Costner’s Western epic, Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter 1, debuted quietly, garnering $4.1 million from 3,334 locations on Friday and through previews. This performance aligns with projections for a three-day opening in the low-teens, securing third place on the domestic charts. Despite this, the film’s $100 million production cost—partially funded by Costner himself—places significant pressure on its box office performance. The additional $30 million spent on promotion and advertising further adds to the stakes.
Horizon had faced skepticism even before its release, with some drawing parallels to Costner’s Dances With Wolves, initially dubbed “Kevin’s Gate” by skeptics before it went on to become a massive success. However, Horizon has not resonated as strongly with audiences or critics, receiving a B- grade on CinemaScore and facing lukewarm reviews since its Cannes premiere. The film’s prospects might see a slight boost over the Fourth of July holiday, but the modest opening suggests challenges ahead, especially with Warner Bros. set to release “Chapter 2” in just six weeks.
In fourth place, Sony and Columbia’s Bad Boys: Ride or Die continued its steady performance, earning another $2.835 million on Friday. The Will Smith-Martin Lawrence sequel is expected to add $10.2 million over the weekend, marking a solid 46% decline. By the end of the weekend, its total domestic gross is projected to reach $165.1 million. This positions it close to surpassing Disney’s Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes ($166 million), making it the fifth-highest grossing North American release of the year.
