In a weekend of cinematic David vs. Goliath battles, Stephen Curry's animated passion project GOAT narrowly edged out Emerald Fennell's lavish literary adaptation Wuthering Heights in a domestic box office showdown that came down to just $2.8 million. The family film inspired by Curry's life pulled in $17 million in its second week, snatching the top spot from the critically-acclaimed period drama that debuted the same day.
The real story, however, unfolded overseas where Chinese films staged a stunning global takeover. While GOAT and Wuthering Heights battled for domestic supremacy, the Chinese racing spectacle Pegasus 3 left Hollywood in the dust with a staggering $372.8 million worldwide haul—from China alone. The action sequel about a star-studded racing team wasn't alone: two other Chinese productions, Zhang Yimou's spy thriller Scare Out ($112.3M) and martial arts epic Blades of the Guardians ($101.6M), claimed the next global spots.
Still from 'Pegasus 3'. cmc/youtube
Back in the U.S., the weekend's new releases struggled to make waves. The Christian music biopic I Can Only Imagine 2 managed third place with $8 million, while A24's star-studded thriller How to Make a Killing earned a disappointing $3.5 million. Baz Luhrmann's Elvis documentary EPIC: Elvis Presley in Concert rocked to $3.2 million for seventh place.
The cumulative totals tell a different story: Wuthering Heights still leads overall with $60 million to GOAT's $58.3 million—a reversal of their weekend fortunes that sets up an intriguing long-term box office duel.
As Hollywood prepares for Scream 7's arrival next week, this weekend's numbers reveal a shifting global landscape where Chinese blockbusters are out-earning Hollywood's biggest names, and a basketball star's animated film can outpace a literary classic in a photo-finish race for domestic dominance.
