Box Office: Steven Soderbergh’s Black Bag logs weak USD 850K Thursday preview, faces tough weekend

Steven Soderbergh’s Black Bag struggles with a USD 850K preview, raising doubts about its box office prospects amid stiff competition and a struggling spy thriller market.

Written by Seema Sinha , Entertainment Journalist

Updated on Mar 15, 2025 | 02:33 PM IST | 9.8K

Picture Courtesy: Focus Features / Universal Pictures

Steven Soderbergh’s latest spy thriller Black Bag is off to an underwhelming start at the US box office, with Thursday preview collections peaking at USD 850,000. The R-rated film starring Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender is projected to open in the USD 7 million to USD 10 million range over the weekend. This number is concerning for Focus Features, given that it spent USD 50 million—minus marketing costs—to produce the flick.

Comparisons with other recent releases paint a disappointing picture for Black Bag, as its preview earnings match Love Hurts and Expend4bles, which made USD 850K and USD 750K respectively. The film lags behind Den of Thieves 2, Argylle, and The Beekeeper, which made USD 1.4 million, USD 1.7 million, and USD 2.2 million, respectively, in previews. While the former films were certified duds, the latter managed only slightly better at the box office.

Soderbergh directs Black Bag from a script by David Koepp. The film follows intelligence agent Kathryn St. Jean (Blanchett), who is accused of treason. Her husband, George Woodhouse (Fassbender), is assigned to investigate her, setting up a conflict between personal loyalty and national duty. The film’s ensemble cast includes Marisa Abela, Tom Burke, Naomie Harris, Regé-Jean Page, and Pierce Brosnan.

Black Bag was announced in January 2024, with filming commencing in London in May. The film premiered in France on March 12, 2025. Despite balanced critical acclaim, the film’s underwhelming commercial start suggests it may struggle to recoup its costs.

Several factors contribute to the film’s slow box office debut. While Soderbergh is known for his intelligent thrillers, his recent projects, including 2024’s Presence, have struggled to gain traction. Additionally, spy thrillers as a genre have been experiencing a downturn recently, with only a few breakout successes. Black Bag’s dialogue- and intrigue-heavy narrative further limits its appeal. We feel it would have had a better chance as an action-driven spy offering.

Another challenge for the film is the competitive March market, with high-profile releases dominating screens. Captain America 4, which completed a month yesterday, continues to draw crowds, and Disney’s Snow White, arriving March 21, looks poised to take the baton from the former film in terms of audience engagement.

Black Bag has only a small window to leave a mark at the box office. As the weekend progresses, all eyes will be on the offering to see if it manages to turn around its sluggish preview reception.