Box Office: Focus Features' Last Breath starts strong with USD 1M in previews, eyes USD 10M–15M opening weekend

Focus Features' thriller Last Breath kicks off with USD 1M in previews, outpacing similar recent mid budget films. Projections suggest a USD 10M–15M opening weekend as it plays in 3,011 theaters.

Written by Seema Sinha , Entertainment Journalist

Published on Mar 01, 2025 | 11:15 AM IST | 6.4K

Picture Courtesy: Focus Features

Focus Features is making a strong return to theaters with Last Breath, a PG-13 thriller remake that grossed USD 1 million in Thursday previews. The film’s early performance is on par with several recent mid-budget thrillers, outpacing Plane (USD 620K) and Missing (USD 720K) while trailing behind Den of Thieves 2 (USD 1.4M) and The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (USD 1.5M). Given its solid preview earnings, industry projections estimate an opening weekend in the range of USD 10M to USD 15M.

Directed by Alex Parkinson and starring Woody Harrelson and Simu Liu, Last Breath follows a deep-sea diving team trapped in a desperate fight for survival. Focus Features has aggressively promoted the film through a traditional linear marketing strategy, earning praise from industry observers. While the film lacks IMAX screenings, it benefits from premium format showings, including D-Box screenings across 3,011 theaters. With a 79% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Last Breath could see steady reception throughout the weekend if word-of-mouth remains positive.

Meanwhile, Disney/Marvel Studios’ Captain America: Brave New World is on track to maintain its No. 1 position for the third consecutive weekend, with an estimated USD 14 million expected in its latest frame. The Anthony Mackie-led superhero sequel wrapped its second week with a domestic total of USD 148.6 million, adding USD 1.5 million on Thursday—a minor 4% drop from the previous day. Despite competition from new releases, Brave New World continues to dominate IMAX auditoriums, giving it an edge in premium formats.

Neon’s horror film The Monkey, directed by Oz Perkins and adapted from a Stephen King short story, is experiencing a sharp decline after a strong first week. The film ended its debut week with USD 18.2 million across 3,200 locations, but Thursday’s gross dipped to USD 838K, an 8% drop from Wednesday. Early projections suggest a second-weekend drop exceeding 60%, bringing its estimated three-day earnings to around USD 5.6 million. With a C+ CinemaScore—matching Perkins’ previous film Longlegs, which saw a 47% drop in its second weekend—The Monkey may struggle to maintain momentum.

Family films continue to perform steadily at the box office. StudioCanal’s Paddington in Peru has reached a USD 26.8 million domestic total after two weeks, adding USD 327K on Thursday with just a 1% decline from Wednesday. The beloved bear’s third big-screen outing is currently outpacing Paddington 2 at the same point in its run, signaling strong staying power. Meanwhile, DreamWorks Animation and Universal’s Dog Man, now in its fourth week, earned USD 259K on Thursday—an 8% increase from the previous day. Its domestic total stands at USD 79.8 million, keeping it a top choice for family audiences.

Chinese animated sequel Ne Zha 2 is seeing a modest run in North America, earning USD 227K on Thursday across 785 locations—a 13% decline from the previous day. The film’s second-week total now stands at USD 4.4 million.

With Last Breath making a solid debut and Captain America: Brave New World holding firm at the top, this weekend’s box office lineup features a mix of new thrillers, horror holdovers, and family-friendly flicks.