The October 2025 box office has been marked as the worst-performing since October 1998, with total earnings reaching only about $428.1 million. This fall represents a significant decline from even post-pandemic averages, let alone pre-pandemic figures.
Halloween weekend was particularly slow, with "Black Phone 2" taking the top spot at $8.3 million, while "Regretting You" took second place despite being initially overestimated in earnings by Paramount.
There was an amusing and somewhat erroneous claim circulating online that Mason Thes was the first actor since Jim Carrey in 1994 to star in three number one films at the box office in a single year, but this was quickly debunked with more recent examples.
Overall trends show that the movies released in this month did not resonate well with audiences. The pandemic-related delays and the shift of major releases such as "Mortal Kombat 2" to 2026 left a gap that wasn't filled adequately.
Market share shifts were minimal due to the slow month. Disney and Warner Bros. both lost market share, while Universal and other studios had slight gains.