Box Office: Despite glowing reviews, Companion looks at a below average USD 10 million domestic weekend

Despite positive reviews, Warner Bros.' Companion is on track for a below-average USD 10 million weekend at the domestic box office, impacted by limited marketing and the studios' financial constraints.

Written by Seema Sinha , Entertainment Journalist

Updated on Feb 01, 2025 | 04:41 PM IST | 7.7K

Picture Courtesy: Warner Bros. Pictures

Warner Bros.’ horror sci-fi thriller Companion entered its opening weekend with critical acclaim, but the early numbers suggest a sluggish start. The film pulled in just USD 1.1 million on Thursday, January 30, setting it up for a three-day debut between USD 9-12 million — well below expectations for an R-rated genre release.

Warner Bros. Discovery’s ongoing financial struggles are major factors behind this underwhelming performance. With limited funds for marketing, the studio has been selective with its promotional efforts, leaving Companion with little mainstream visibility. The recent restructuring of WBD’s marketing leadership (the studio fired their global market head to pass his functions to the person already responsible for the domestic promo to save money) further underscores the company’s tight budget, making theatrical releases like this more dependent on organic buzz, i.e., word of mouth.

Positive reviews from moviegoers could significantly boost Companion over time, especially since horror films tend to thrive on this type of buzz.

Directed by Drew Hancock, the film follows a group of friends whose weekend cabin retreat turns into a nightmare when one of them is revealed to be a companion robot. Starring Sophie Thatcher, Jack Quaid, Lukas Gage, Megan Suri, Harvey Guillén, and Rupert Friend, the movie blends horror and dark comedy. Producers Zach Cregger, Roy Lee, Raphael Margules, and J.D. Lifshitz back the project.

Ultimately, Companion’s underwhelming debut highlights WBD’s ongoing financial challenges and their impact on theatrical releases. While the film has all the right ingredients for success — strong reviews, a stellar cast, and an intriguing premise — its struggle at the box office is a disappointment.

In contrast, Universal’s Dog Man, with the same restricted promo, is expected to deliver an unexpected hit at the domestic box office. The animated spinoff of Captain Underpants is looking at a USD 30-35 million three-day box office weekend.