"Mickey 17" Tops the Box Office, but Profitability Remains Elusive

The North American box office saw a new champion over the weekend, as Bong Joon Ho’s Mickey 17 claimed the top spot. Starring Robert Pattinson, the film earned $19.1 million in its opening weekend, dethroning Captain America: Brave New World after its three-week reign. Internationally, Mickey 17 added $34.2 million, raising its global total to $53.3 million. However, the road to profitability is far from over for this ambitious science fiction film. With a production budget of $118 million—excluding marketing costs—the movie has a long way to go before breaking even.

A Timely Release with a Larger Message

The release of Mickey 17 comes just a week after filmmaker Sean Baker’s impassioned Oscars speech, in which he emphasized the importance of preserving the theatrical experience. Baker’s plea resonated deeply with filmmakers and audiences alike, urging studios to prioritize theatrical releases and moviegoers to support them. Mickey 17 feels like a poster child for this moment in the film industry. It is an original, big-budget sci-fi film from an Oscar-winning director, featuring a star-studded cast, including Steven Yeun, Naomi Ackie, Toni Collette, and Mark Ruffalo. Despite these advantages, the movie’s opening weekend numbers suggest that audiences have not embraced it as an event film, raising questions about its long-term viability.

A Star-Studded but Challenging Road Ahead

Based on Edward Ashton’s novel Mickey7, the film follows an expendable employee who is repeatedly cloned and resurrected after dying on missions. Despite positive reviews—79% on Rotten Tomatoes—and a wide release in 3,807 domestic theaters, Mickey 17 underperformed expectations. The movie fared best in major markets like New York and Los Angeles, with nearly half of its opening weekend gross coming from premium large-format screenings, including IMAX. Internationally, it performed particularly well in Korea, where it earned $14.6 million. However, these numbers are not enough to offset the high production and marketing costs, leaving the film’s financial success uncertain.

The Box Office Rollercoaster Continues

In second place, Captain America: Brave New World added $8.5 million domestically and $9.2 million internationally, bringing its global total to $370.8 million. The Walt Disney Studios is on track to cross $1 billion in 2025 sometime this week, demonstrating its dominance in the market. Other holdovers, such as Last Breath, The Monkey, and Paddington in Peru, rounded out the top five. The weekend also saw the release of new films like In the Lost Lands, a fantasy adventure starring Milla Jovovich and Dave Bautista, and Rule Breakers, a heartfelt story about Afghani girls on a robotics team.

The Oscars Boost and the Bigger Picture

Meanwhile, Neon’s Anora, which won five Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress, saw a significant surge in popularity. The studio expanded the film’s release to nearly 2,000 screens, earning $1.9 million over the weekend—a 595% increase from the previous week. Anora has now grossed $18.4 million domestically. While this is a modest sum compared to blockbuster figures, it highlights the enduring impact of awards recognition on a film’s performance.

The Volatile State of the Box Office

The 2025 box office is currently up 1% from last year but remains 34.2% below pre-pandemic levels from 2019, according to Comscore data. This volatility underscores the challenges faced by the film industry as it continues to recover from the pandemic and navigate shifting consumer behaviors. Paul Dergarabedian, a senior media analyst at Comscore, noted that while the box office can experience downturns, it is resilient and capable of rebounding.

A Mixed Bag of Performances

Despite the mixed results for Mickey 17, its release serves as a fascinating case study for the film industry. It is a bold, original sci-fi film with a unique premise, a celebrated director, and a blockbuster budget. Yet, it struggled to connect with audiences on a larger scale, raising questions about the balance between artistic ambition and commercial success. The film’s journey will likely be closely watched in the coming weeks, as it attempts to find its footing and prove that original storytelling can still thrive in an increasingly franchise-driven market.

In the end, Mickey 17 represents both the promise and the challenges of modern cinema—a medium that continues to evolve in an ever-changing world. While its profitability may remain uncertain, its release serves as a reminder of the power of storytelling and the importance of preserving the theatrical experience.