Box Office: 'Venom 3' Dominates Again, A24's 'Heretic' Haunts with Strong $11M Debut in Quiet Weekend at the Box Office

In its third weekend of release, Venom: The Last Dance continues to reign at the domestic box office, earning $16.2 million from 3,905 North American theaters. While this marks a 37% drop from last week’s haul, it was still enough to keep the Tom Hardy-led symbiote film in the top spot, outpacing two new releases: A24’s Heretic and Lionsgate’s family holiday entry The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.

Despite a generally slow post-election weekend, both newcomers performed better than expected. Hollywood largely avoided opening big films this weekend, wary that audiences would be distracted by the election aftermath. This cautious approach, combined with a sparse theater landscape, allowed Heretic and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever to find an audience. However, overall domestic box office revenue remains down more than 11% compared to 2023 and nearly 27% from 2019, according to Comscore.

A24's Heretic Surprises with $11 Million Opening

Heretic, a psychological horror-thriller from A24, managed to secure third place with a solid $11 million debut from 3,221 theaters. Starring Hugh Grant in a rare villainous role, the film follows two Mormon missionaries (played by Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) who find themselves trapped in a deadly game with a reclusive Englishman (Grant). The film was met with positive reviews, currently boasting a 93% score on Rotten Tomatoes, though its “C+” CinemaScore suggests some divisiveness, particularly regarding its chilling, ambiguous ending.

“This is a great opening for an original horror film,” says David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research. “2024 hasn’t been a particularly strong year at the box office, but horror remains a genre that engages its core audience effectively.”

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever Opens Strong with $11.1 Million

In a slightly more family-friendly offering, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever took second place with $11.1 million from 3,020 theaters. This total includes $2.2 million from a one-night-only sneak preview screening last week, but still exceeds expectations for a low-budget, faith-based holiday film. Directed by Dallas Jenkins (creator of The Chosen), the film tells the heartwarming story of six misbehaving siblings who take over their town’s church Christmas pageant and learn about the true meaning of Christmas. The film has been well-received by critics, earning an 89% on Rotten Tomatoes, and was even more popular with audiences, who gave it an “A” CinemaScore.

“By getting a jump on the holiday season before the big Thanksgiving releases, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever is well-positioned to hold its own through the holidays,” Gross notes, citing upcoming holiday blockbusters like Red One (Nov. 15) and Gladiator II (Nov. 22).

Venom 3 Keeps On Going

Venom: The Last Dance now stands at $114 million in North America and $394.2 million worldwide, still trailing its predecessors in terms of total earnings. The 2018 original Venom earned $213 million domestically and $856 million globally, while the 2021 sequel Let There Be Carnage grossed $213 million domestically and $506 million globally. Despite this, Venom 3 is still expected to finish its run in a solid place against its $120 million production budget.

Other Notable Box Office Performances

Elsewhere in the top five, The Wild Robot, a family-friendly animated film from Universal and DreamWorks Animation, earned $6.6 million in its seventh weekend, bringing its domestic total to $130.2 million. The film’s box office performance has been remarkably consistent, with only a small 11% drop from last week.

In fifth place, Smile 2, the R-rated sequel to 2022’s hit thriller Smile, made $5 million from 2,822 locations. After four weekends, it has grossed $60.5 million domestically and $123.6 million globally, having made back its $28 million production budget.

Here Struggles in Second Weekend

Here, the Tom Hanks and Robin Wright-led AI-driven drama from director Robert Zemeckis, suffered a steep drop in its second weekend, grossing just $2.4 million. This marks a 52% decline from its already underwhelming debut, bringing its domestic total to $9.3 million. Produced by Miramax and distributed by Sony, the $45 million film will need a longer theatrical run to justify its hefty price tag.

Conclave Holds Steady

Conclave, a thriller set in the Vatican, continues to perform well in limited release, adding another $4.1 million from 2,283 theaters in its third weekend. The adult-skewing drama, which stars Ralph Fiennes and focuses on the intrigue of a papal election, has earned $21.5 million to date. Its slow-burn strategy has positioned it well for the upcoming holiday season and the impending awards race.

“Conclave has truly been a standout among awards season contenders,” says Comscore’s Paul Dergarabedian. “Its ideal release timing and gradual rollout have helped it build momentum as the holiday season picks up.”

Looking Ahead

Despite a sleepy weekend, Venom 3 continues to dominate the box office while newcomers Heretic and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever have found their niches. As the holiday season picks up steam, audiences can expect to see more major releases flooding theaters, including Red One and Gladiator II. While Venom 3 may not hit the heights of its predecessors, it’s still on track for a solid finish. The real story, however, may be the rise of mid-range films like Heretic and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, which managed to thrive in a somewhat barren marketplace, showing that original and niche content can still find a dedicated audience.