Thursday Box Office: Chainsaw Man Surges, Springsteen Strums Softly

The weekend box office race is officially underway, and this week’s Thursday box office analysis reveals a fascinating battle between genres. An anime powerhouse, a prestige rock biopic, and a highly anticipated horror sequel are all vying for the top spot. The initial numbers from Thursday night’s showings offer an early glimpse into what we can expect, with some surprising strength from one contender and softer starts for others.

This article will break down the Thursday preview grosses for the weekend’s major releases, including Chainsaw Man: The Movie – Reze Arc, Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, and others. We’ll analyze what these figures indicate for their full weekend potential and explore the trends shaping the box office landscape.

Chainsaw Man Revs Up an Impressive $3.4 Million In Thursday Box Office

The clear winner from Thursday’s previews is Sony and Crunchyroll’s Chainsaw Man: The Movie – Reze Arc. The highly anticipated anime film roared to life with a stunning $3.4 million from screenings that began at 4 p.m. in 2,500 theaters. This powerful start signals significant front-loading from its dedicated fanbase and positions the film for a strong opening weekend.

To put this number in perspective, it is remarkably close to the $3.8 million preview gross of Demon Slayer: Mugen Train back in April 2021. Demon Slayer went on to open with over $21 million, becoming a massive success even as theaters were just beginning to reopen. While a direct comparison is complex, it highlights the immense drawing power of major anime franchises.

Initial weekend projections for Chainsaw Man were in the $11 million+ range, but this robust preview number suggests it could over-perform. The film currently boasts a perfect 100% on Rotten Tomatoes from critics and a 99% audience score, indicating that both reviewers and fans are thrilled with the final product. This strong word-of-mouth could help it sustain momentum throughout the weekend.

Springsteen Biopic Opens to a Quiet Tune

20th Century Studios’ Bruce Springsteen biopic, Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, had a much more subdued start. The film, directed by Scott Cooper and starring Jeremy Allen White, earned $850,000 in Thursday previews. The movie chronicles the making of Springsteen’s personal and somber 1982 album, Nebraska.

This figure is lower than what many analysts had hoped for, especially given the film’s $55 million budget and premium screen footprint, including 250 IMAX locations. For comparison, the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown earned $1.4 million in its Christmas previews on its way to an $11.6 million three-day opening.

Weekend forecasts for Springsteen are currently in the $9 million to $11 million range. The film’s critical reception has been mixed, sitting at 61% on Rotten Tomatoes, which may be dampening enthusiasm from casual moviegoers. However, audiences who saw it on Thursday night gave it a more positive 85% score, suggesting that fans of The Boss are enjoying the picture. The question is whether that core fanbase is large enough to drive a significant box office result.

Other Contenders in the Mix

While Chainsaw Man and Springsteen are the main new wide releases, several other films are making noise.

• Regretting You: Paramount’s adaptation of the popular Colleen Hoover novel is expected to perform well, with projections also in the $9 million to $11 million range. While the studio is not officially reporting preview numbers for its fan-event screenings, sources indicate it performed better than Springsteen on Thursday night. This wouldn’t be surprising, as the previous Hoover adaptation, It Ends With Us, was a massive commercial success despite a poor critical reception.
• Black Phone 2: The reigning box office champion is showing strong staying power. The Universal/Blumhouse horror sequel earned another $1.6 million on Thursday, bringing its first-week total to an impressive $36 million. It is projected to earn over $12 million in its second weekend, which could be enough to challenge Chainsaw Man for the #1 spot if the anime film is heavily front-loaded.
• Shelby Oaks: Neon’s psychological thriller pulled in $515,000 from combined mystery screenings and Thursday previews. It is expected to open in the low single digits for the weekend.

What the Numbers Signal for the Weekend

The Thursday preview box office analysis points to a weekend with a potentially tight race for the top spot. The strength of Chainsaw Man suggests it has a real shot at number one, but its performance will depend on how much of its audience rushed out on Thursday versus how many will show up over Friday and Saturday.

Meanwhile, Black Phone 2 is proving to be a reliable horror hit with strong legs. Its performance indicates that it will remain a major factor in the weekend race.

The softer start for Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere raises questions about the box office appeal of adult-oriented dramas and music biopics that lack across-the-board critical acclaim. It will need to rely heavily on walk-up business from its target demographic to reach its projections.

Ultimately, this weekend is a testament to the diverse tastes of the modern audience. The box office is no longer dominated by a single genre; anime, horror, and romance are all proving to be powerful draws, setting the stage for a competitive and fascinating weekend at the movies.