Weekend Box Office Showdown: Scary Movie 6 and Masters of the Universe Clash — But One Wild Indie Steals the Crown

Two Blockbusters Drop, But the Real Winner Might Surprise You

This weekend at the box office was absolutely wild. Scary Movie 6 and Masters of the Universe both hit theaters with big opening night numbers, but the real story isn't about either of them. A weird little indie horror film called Obsession and the A24 juggernaut Backrooms are still absolutely dominating screens — and now The Amazing Digital Circus: The Last Act just joined the party and is outperforming both new releases.

Let's break down exactly what happened, because the numbers tell a pretty fascinating story about where moviegoers are actually spending their money in 2026.

Scary Movie 6: The Wayans Brothers Are Back (Sort Of)

Paramount's Scary Movie 6 pulled in an impressive $7.7 million from Thursday night previews at 2,800 locations, with a projected weekend total in the mid-$40 millions. This is the first Scary Movie in over two decades to bring back the original franchise creators — Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Keenen Ivory Wayans, Craig Wayans, and Rick Alvarez all wrote the script. The film even pokes fun at how many Wayans there are on the project.

Anna Faris and Regina King return to the franchise, with Michael Tiddes directing. It's got the R-rated spoof energy fans expect, but critics aren't exactly thrilled — the film sits at a Metacritic score of 37. Still, opening in 53 international territories, this is clearly playing to audiences who just want a good laugh.

Masters of the Universe: He-Man Rides In

Amazon MGM and Mattel Film's Masters of the Universe earned $4.4 million in previews, heading toward a mid-$30 million weekend. Nicholas Galitzine stars as Prince Adam/He-Man, with Jared Leto playing the villainous Skeletor. The supporting cast includes some serious talent: Camila Mendes as Teela, Idris Elba as Duncan/Man-At-Arms, and Alison Brie as Evil-Lyn. Director Travis Knight (who brought us Bumblebee) delivers a film that's actually won over critics more than Scary Movie, sitting at a 54 on Metacritic.

The Real Box Office Kings

But here's where it gets crazy. The Amazing Digital Circus: The Last Act, a theatrical release from Fathom Entertainment based on the cult Australian web series, earned $7.8 million on Thursday alone — outperforming both new wide releases at over 2,200 locations.

Meanwhile, Backrooms is still an absolute beast in its sophomore weekend, adding another $5 million on Thursday with projections placing its weekend total over $45 million. This $10 million horror based on Kane Parsons' viral YouTube shorts has already become A24's highest-grossing domestic film ever, beating even Marty Supreme with Timothée Chalamet. And Obsession, the $750,000 indie directed by Curry Barker and picked up by Focus Features at TIFF, is creeping toward a global milestone of $200 million — it's the first film since E.T. in 1982 to have second and third weekends bigger than its opening.

Other holdovers still on the board include The Mandalorian and Grogu, The Breadwinner, and the Michael biopic. Honestly, it's a great time to be a movie fan — the variety of options right now is genuinely insane.

What are you watching this weekend? Let me know in the comments!