In contrast to the highs of summer, October of 2025 proved to be a quiet month for the box office, with ticket sales falling to a record low in over the last three decades. While the lack of big IP-driven blockbusters served as a factor, despite some commendable performances from the Black Phone sequel and Taylor Swift’s The Official Release Party of a Showgirl, overall, it was a challenging month for theaters.
With an estimated total gross of just $425 million, this has proven to be the lowest-grossing October of this century so far. Even among the ones that dominated the charts, not all of them can be considered a success, at least when it comes to the commercial front. Below are the top-grossing movies of October (via Box Office Mojo).
1. Tron: Ares – $134.6M
Arguably the biggest IP release of the month, Tron: Ares was expected to lead October, especially following Tron: Legacy‘s cult status. However, despite topping the charts, the movie flopped due to its huge budget of $180M, and even failed to match Legacy‘s opening figures.
It also didn’t help that the movie was received poorly among critics and fans of the predecessors, which is a shame, as Nine Inch Nails’ score for the movie didn’t fall short of Daft Punk’s work in Legacy.
Movie IMDb ScoreTomatometer/PopcornmeterBox Office (October) Tron: Ares6.653/85%$134.6 million
2. Black Phone 2 – $105.7M
Ares wasn’t the lone sequel that dominated October, as Black Phone 2, a sequel to Scott Derrickson‘s The Black Phone, secured the second spot. Unlike Ares, however, the movie has been a hit, thanks to its budget of $30M, marking another win for horror this year.
And it’s safe to say that the prospect of a threequel remains in the cards. But the same can’t be said for Ares, despite its own tease at future installments.
Movie IMDb ScoreTomatometer/PopcornmeterBox Office (October)Black Phone 26.572/83%$105.7 million
3. Regretting You – $51.6M
While the second Colleen Hoover was panned by critics upon release, Regretting You has done well internationally. Although its domestic numbers fell short of One Battle After Another‘s October tally, it has done well internationally.
Similar to Black Phone 2, the adaptation was made on a limited budget of $30M, which has contributed to its status as a sleeper hit.
Movie IMDb ScoreTomatometer/PopcornmeterBox Office (October)Regretting You6.228/85%$51.6 million
4. Taylor Swift: The Official Release Party of a Showgirl – $50M
Even though her new album hasn’t boasted a revered response, from a commercial standpoint, it has been a major hit for Taylor Swift. In addition to overwhelming sales, the momentum also translated to its box office numbers, making it a huge win for theaters.
It’s important to note that this isn’t a traditional movie, but an amalgamation of music videos, behind-the-scenes footage, and commentary.
Movie IMDb ScoreTomatometer/PopcornmeterBox Office (October)Taylor Swift: The Official Release Party of a Showgirl6.764/95%$50 million
5. Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere – $30.8M
The Bruce Springsteen biopic, led by The Bear‘s Jeremy Allen White, is the fifth-highest-grossing release, at least when it comes to new releases. Unfortunately for this biopic, Deliver Me from Nowhere is in the same boat as Ares, following its $50M budget.
Considering Springsteen’s impact in the realm of music, followed by the success of last year’s Bob Dylan biopic, the underwhelming numbers for the Jeremy Allen White-led feature are undoubtedly a shocker.
Movie IMDb ScoreTomatometer/PopcornmeterBox Office (October)Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere6.9 59/83%$30.8 million
After a quiet October, it’s safe to say theaters will bounce back, as November is filled with major releases, including Predator: Badlands, Wicked 2, and Zootopia 2, which has a shot at the top spot on the box office charts for 2025.
What was your favorite movie from October? Comment below!
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