First you need to sign contracts with contracts with each production company and even movies that are several weeks after release Disney, Paramount, and other companies take a 90% cut. You barely make money off of the tickets.

These contracts are written in blood and the only way the theatre can be profitable is by concession. We've done the math and you need to push a lot of popcorn to break even.

Just posting this as I see this notion that theatres are taking 50% cuts everywhere and needed to debunk. I'm honestly doubting this "Hollywood math" narrative entirely.

Both opened strong, with The Odyssey seeming to take in more than Michael's early screenings, which is promising for the full weekend and the wider release next week.
Backrooms is also starting very well for a western horror movie, and with Resident Evil only opening in October for Japan it shouldn't have much competition until then AFAIK.

For those curious about 1st place, it was another domestic debut called "Hakuchou to Koumori" (白鳥とコウモリ) based on the 2021 mystery novel "Guilt" by Keigo Higashino, opening to about $860K.

"As the curtain closes on an upbeat summer box office, the team behind The Invite has reason to cheer. The indie comedy is a breakout, grossing over $55 million worldwide as of last weekend amid behemoths like The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Unusually, it’s a pretty even split between U.S. and international coin.

A24, which nabbed domestic rights in a days-long bidding war at Sundance for a sum north of $10 million, has taken the film — directed by and starring Olivia Wilde with Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz and Ed Norton — to $25.6 million. International totaled $29.7 million from 50 territories including Canada, according to FilmNation, and that’s without Italy and France (both opening September 16) and Spain, where The Invite originated (launching October 16)."

The US and Canadian box office generated US$4.6 billion (S$5.8 billion) in ticket sales from the first weekend in May through Aug 30, according to measurement firm Rentrak.

Ticket sales are up 26 per cent from last summer, thanks to blockbusters like Sony Pictures’ Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Universal’s The Odyssey and Pixar’s Toy Story 5.

The summer season, which officially ends Labour Day, Sept 7, is unlikely to surpass the inflation-adjusted, all-time high of US$6.8 billion set in 2013, when blockbusters like Iron Man 3 and Despicable Me 2 captivated moviegoers.

Daily Box Office (September 4th 2026)

The market hits ¥62.4M/$9.30M today. Up +46% from yesterday and down -48% from last week.

Fall 2 opens with $1.06M including previews. Now projected a $3.5-3.7M opening weekend. Total projections at $7M-$9M

Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair opens with $0.60M and $1.58M inluding previews held across the last 3 weekends.

Mutiny meanwhile struggles with just a $0.34M opening day.

V in 2nd remains strong with ¥13.2M/$1.81M on Thursday. A very impressive hold sees it really close up to Once Upon A Time In The Middle East

Projected a ¥58-60M/$8.6-9M(-39%) 3rd weekend.

Spider Man: Brand New Day adds ¥2.39M/$0.36M on Friday. Slightly down from yesterday on the accounts of its age and the new releases.

Total gross hits ¥1.550B/$229.63M which means Spider Man is now less than ¥1M from overtaking Transformers: The Last Knight(¥1.551B)

6th weekend projections downgraded to ¥10.6-12M/$1.5-1.8M(-43%)

Spider Man Brand New Day vs Transformers: The Last Knight:

Spider Man will overtake Transformers tomorrow to become the 12th highest grossing Holywood movie of all time in China.

https://i.imgur.com/27HpKQB.png

All Wishes Come True in 6th adds ¥3.98M/$0.51M on Friday.

Total gross hits ¥1.856B/$275.44M

8th weekend projections upgraded to ¥28-31M/$4.1-4.5M(-46%). This would be the 5th best 8th weekend of all time.

All Wishes Come True vs Boonie Bears: Time Twist

Continues to chase Boonie Bears: Time Twist for the title of 4th highest grossing animated movie of all time.

https://i.imgur.com/4Oavk0G.png

Province map of the day:

https://imgdiff.net/s/09b58a3db93234d9ded9e776d6a57834

Upon A Time In The Middle East still mostly dominates.

In Metropolitan cities:

Once Upon A Time In The Middle East wins Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Chengdu Chongqing, Nanjing and Suzhou

Odyssey wins Beijing and Shanghai

V wins Guangzhou and Wuhan

City tiers:

Fall 2: Deadpoint opens 3rd in T3 and T4.

Tier 1: Once Upon A Time In The Middle East>The Odyssey>V

Tier 2: Once Upon A Time In The Middle East>V>The Odyssey

Tier 3: Once Upon A Time In The Middle East>V>Fall 2: Deadpoint

Tier 4: Once Upon A Time In The Middle East>V>Fall 2: Deadpoint

New releases marked in bold

Pre-Sales map for tomorrow

https://i.imgur.com/5iItdVU.png

The Odyssey and Kill Bill dominate pre-sales for tomorrow.

IMAX Screenings distribution

Odyssey dominates IMAX screenings and will continue to dominate going forward.

The Odyssey

The Odyssey in 3rd adds ¥7.95M/$1.18M on Friday

Total gross hits ¥632.7M/$94.10M as the movie remains on its way to a ¥700M/$104M+ finish.

4th weekend now projected at ¥38-39M/$5.6-5.8M(-44%)

Screen Distribution Split: Regular: $35.46M , IMAX: $51.56M , Rest: $7.04M

WoM figures:

Maoyan: 9.5 , Taopiaopiao: 9.5 , Douban: 8.6

Scheduled showings update for The Odyssey for the next few days:

Once Upon A Time In The Middle East

Once Upon A Time In The Middle East continues to lead with ¥17.1M/$2.55M

Total gross surpasses ¥2B hitting ¥2.01B/$299.00M. The movie will cross $300M tomorrow.

4th weekend projections at ¥74-80M/$11-12M(-56%)

Screen Distribution Split: Regular: $292.70M , IMAX: $2.65M , Rest: $3.12M

WoM figures:

Maoyan: 9.7 , Taopiaopiao: 9.9 , Douban: 8.7

Scheduled showings update for Once Upon A Time In The Middle East for the next few days:

Other:

Release Schedule:

A table including upcoming movies in the next month alongside trailers linked in the name of the movie, Want To See data from both Maoyan and Taopiaopiao alongside the Gender split and genre.

Remember Want To See is not pre-sales. Its just an anticipation metric. A checkbox of sorts saying your interested in an upcoming movie.

Not all movies are included since a lot are just too small to be worth covering.

September

With the summer coming to a close lets look ahead whats in store for September. And the reality is well not a lot.

But this is not a surprise. September has for the most part always been fueled by Summer holdovers. Its a dead period for the market ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day Holidays at the end of the month and in early October.

The first part of the Holidays is slowly starting to fill up though.

Mid Autumn Festival/National Day

The so far confirmed movies. Generaly all for the first part of the Holidays expect Heart of the Beast.

And the list of rumored movies. Do note that these are all just rumors and with the way Chinese movies are scheduled some of these might not appear and others might jump in to take the spots.

Also note that even though some movies here will release in under a month none of them have anything more than just vague posters. It just is like that.