Obsession posts $28 million second weekend

Focus Features’ “Obsession” emerged as one of the Memorial Day weekend’s biggest box-office stories after industry estimates showed the horror film heading to $28.2 million over the four-day holiday in its second weekend. Variety reported on May 24 that the film was set for about $22 million over the traditional three-day frame from 2,655 North American theaters, up roughly 30% from its debut. The gains put “Obsession” behind Disney’s “The Mandalorian and Grogu” but ahead of several holdovers on holiday charts. The result stood out because second weekends for wide releases, and especially horror films, usually fall rather than rise. Variety described the hold as “virtually unprecedented” for a movie already in wide release, while The Numbers listed the film at No. 2 for the May 22-24 weekend with a $22.4 million three-day gross and a domestic total of $52.8 million after 10 days. Forbes, citing weekend estimates, said the movie had grossed almost 80 times its reported production budget of roughly $750,000 to $1 million. (variety.com) ### How big was the second weekend, exactly? Variety’s Sunday report put “Obsession” at $28.2 million for the four-day Memorial Day period and $22 million for the Friday-through-Sunday stretch. The Numbers’ chart showed a similar three-day figure of $22.4 million, reflecting the usual gap between studio estimates and third-party trackers before final numbers are released. Both sets of estimates showed the same core point: the film increased in its second weekend instead of dropping. (variety.com) The 30% increase is measured against the film’s debut. Variety said “Obsession” opened to $17.2 million from 2,615 cinemas, while its follow-up weekend expanded slightly to 2,655 locations. That combination — wider availability and stronger sales — helped lift the title into the top tier of the holiday lineup. (variety.com) ### Why did box-office watchers focus on the hold? Horror films are known for steep second-weekend drops, which made “Obsession” unusual. Variety said the genre is “notorious” for falling sharply after opening weekend, and The Wrap reported before Sunday estimates that the film had already posted strong weekday holds, including a Wednesday-to-Thursday increase. Those patterns signaled that the audience was building after release rather than front-loading on opening weekend. (variety.com) The film also benefited from strong early turnout. The Hollywood Reporter said last week that “Obsession” earned $2.6 million in previews ahead of release and described it as a critical and audience favorite. That momentum carried into its first weekend and then into the holiday corridor. ### Where did “Obsession” rank for the holiday weekend? (variety.com) Disney’s “The Mandalorian and Grogu” remained No. 1 with an estimated $102 million over four days and about $82 million over three days, according to Variety. “Obsession” ranked No. 2 on Sunday charts, while “Michael” followed with about $20 million for the three-day weekend, according to Variety and The Numbers. (hollywoodreporter.com) That made “Obsession” one of the three defining titles of the Memorial Day frame. The movie’s placement alongside a new “Star Wars” release and the Michael Jackson biopic gave the holiday weekend an unexpected independent breakout story. ### Who made the film and what comes next? Curry Barker directed “Obsession,” according to Forbes and The Hollywood Reporter, and the film stars Inde Navarrette and Michael Johnston. (variety.com) The movie was released by Focus Features and backed by Blumhouse, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Final domestic Memorial Day estimates were expected on Monday, May 25, when studios and box-office trackers would update the four-day totals for “Obsession,” “The Mandalorian and Grogu” and “Michael.” The next benchmark for “Obsession” will be whether its domestic total, listed at about $52.8 million through Sunday by The Numbers, continues to climb at anything close to its current pace. (the-numbers.com) (forbes.com)