Domestic Box Office Near Record as Labor Day Weekend Boosts Summer Totals
Box office tracker Rentrak says the U.S. summer could surpass the 2013 record, with Labor Day weekend earnings pushing total domestic grosses toward $4.76 billion.
Rentrak reported on Saturday that the domestic box office is $112.2 million short of the all-time summer record set in 2013, which stood at $4.756 billion. A strong Labor Day weekend, projected to generate more than $118 million, would bring the season’s total to about $4.76 billion, narrowly eclipsing the previous high. The current summer has run longer than the 2013 season—130 days versus 123—so the comparison accounts for the extra weeks.
Sony/Marvel’s "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" is leading the holiday frame with an estimated $22 million-$23 million four-day gross, making it one of the most successful Labor Day holdovers since titles like "The Sixth Sense" and "Crazy Rich Asians." The film is on track to become the highest-grossing domestic release of all time, approaching the $936.6 million mark set by "Star Wars: The Force Awakens."
Universal’s "The Odyssey" follows with a fourth-day take of $16.4 million, bringing its domestic total to $588.1 million, the studio’s second-largest domestic earner after "Jurassic World." Smaller releases such as Paramount’s "By Any Means" and Lionsgate’s "Fall 2: Deadpoint" are posting modest four-day grosses of $8.5 million and $2.7 million respectively.
A re-release of the 1988 anime "Akira" earned $1.2 million on Friday, projected to reach $3.5 million over the four-day period. Meanwhile, indie titles like Roadside Attractions’ "Buddy" are drawing strong support from younger audiences, with a $7.4 million four-day total and a cumulative $15.98 million.
Industry analysts note that Labor Day weekends are typically low-key for box office performance, but this year’s slate—bolstered by major franchise releases and solid holdovers—has turned the period into a decisive factor in the race for a new summer record.