The box office just witnessed a seismic shift that nobody saw coming—a horror legend's triumphant return and a political documentary that defied all expectations in a weekend full of surprises.
Brett Ratner's controversial documentary Melania, exploring the former first lady's second term amid the director's own comeback from career turbulence, shocked Hollywood with a $7 million domestic debut. While this represents just 10% of Amazon MGM Studios' massive $75 million investment in licensing and marketing, it demolished industry forecasts that predicted a mere $1-2 million opening. BoxOfficePro's Daniel Loria had warned that Amazon's costly Mercy rollout strategy, combined with documentaries' typically weak box office performance and Melania's partisan-yet-tame approach, would limit its success. Yet here we are—the film has become the weekend's most unexpected story, though its path to profitability remains a steep climb.
Prime Video quickly clarified that the $75 million covers both the film and an upcoming docuseries, banking on ad revenue and Prime subscriptions for long-term recoupment. But in the immediate term, Melania stands as proof that even the most skeptical projections can be shattered.
Rachel McAdams stars in Sam Raimi's horror hit 'Send Help,' which dominated the box office with a $20 million debut.
Brook Rushton/20th Century Studios
But the weekend's undisputed champion was Sam Raimi's Send Help, a survival thriller starring Rachel McAdams and Dylan O'Brien that marks the horror maestro's return to the genre since 2009's Drag Me to Hell. With a $20 million domestic opening and $28 million globally against a $40 million budget, Raimi has proven that his terrifying touch remains as potent as ever. This isn't just a win—it's a statement that horror, when done by a master, can dominate the box office against all odds.
Markiplier's directorial debut 'Iron Lung' shocked Hollywood with a $17 million opening on a tiny budget.
Markiplier Studios
In second place came the weekend's other horror surprise: YouTuber Markiplier's directorial debut Iron Lung, which opened to a staggering $17 million on a minuscule $3 million budget. With a per-theater average of nearly $6,000, this film cements a new era where YouTube creators are not just entering Hollywood—they're conquering it. From Chris Stuckmann's Shelby Oaks to the Philippou brothers' Talk to Me, digital storytellers are rewriting the rules of horror filmmaking, and Iron Lung is their latest victory.
Meanwhile, Avatar: Fire and Ash slipped to No. 6 domestically with $5.5 million, though its global total of $1.4 billion remains formidable. Globally, Send Help claimed the top spot, followed by Fire and Ash and Disney's Zootopia 2, which has amassed $1.7 billion worldwide to become 2025's highest-grossing domestic release.
Looking ahead, next weekend's lineup suggests a return to January's slower pace, but don't count out Send Help just yet. Luc Besson's Dracula, starring Christoph Waltz and Caleb Landry Jones, offers visual grandeur but arrives hot on the heels of Robert Eggers' Nosferatu, potentially splitting the gothic horror audience. The finale of Renny Harlin's Strangers trilogy also debuts, but declining interest from earlier installments casts doubt on its prospects. All signs point to Send Help holding its throne for another week—because when Raimi unleashes horror, the box office listens.
