'Weapons' continues surprise box office win streak, while 'Jaws' 50th anniversary scores big

'Weapons,' the surprise hit of the summer, led the box office for the fourth straight week with $10.2 million over the traditional weekend and an estimated $12.4 million across the four-day frame. The film has grossed $234.6 million worldwide, a strong showing for an original horror release with no major stars and a $38 million budget. Warner Bros. also scored with the timing, giving the movie room to stay on top without significant competition.

In second place was a re-release of 'Jaws' for the holiday weekend. Nearly 50 years after its debut, the film earned $8.1 million over three days and could surpass $10 million once final numbers are tallied. Not bad for a young Steven Spielberg, who just might make it as a director after all.

Coming in third is Darren Aronofsky’s first new release, 'Caught Stealing,' starring Austin Butler. While Butler is a rising star, he does not yet have the draw to fill theaters over Labor Day weekend. Aronofsky, of course, is not known for commercial fare, and this is his most accessible film to date. The film earned $7.8 million, slightly below projections of $9.5 million, reflecting both the modest ambitions of the release and the realities of the holiday weekend.

In fourth place is 'Freakier Friday,' a solid success for a legacy sequel released decades after the original, starring actors who are familiar but not traditional movie stars. The film has nearly doubled its budget domestically, reaching $80 million, and is expected to exceed $130 million worldwide by the end of the weekend. Add in a strong Disney+ debut, and the release looks like a win for Mickey and company.

There is, however, a clear loser this weekend. 'The Roses,' a loose remake of 1981’s 'The War of the Roses,' received middling reviews and underperformed at the domestic box office, landing in fifth place with an expected $8.3 million by the end of Monday.

Perhaps not all is lost for 'The Roses.' The humor and the distinctly British cast have resonated better overseas, where the film earned $9.2 million, potentially enough to offset its domestic struggles.

While Hollywood has moved past Labor Day weekend, studios are not yet releasing films in full force. Next weekend features only one notable release, 'The Conjuring: Last Rites.' Still, it appears 'Weapons' will finally relinquish its box-office crown — to another horror movie.

(h/t The Hollywood Reporter)