The first quarter of the 2025 box-office season closes with a cloud of disappointment. Hollywood’s recent offerings have failed to connect with audiences, resulting in mixed to negative reviews for all four new films released this weekend. Despite the lack of strong contenders, Marvel’s Captain America: Brave New World stands alone as the only film to surpass $100 million domestically, even as it approaches the $200 million mark. Meanwhile, Disney’s Snow White, despite its controversies, appears set to retain the top box-office position for another week.
Snow White, featuring Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot, faces competition from various newcomers, including Amazon MGM Studios’ A Working Man, starring Jason Statham. Other releases include A24’s Death of a Unicorn, Universal Pictures’ The Woman in the Yard, Sony Pictures Classics’ The Penguin Lessons, and Fathom Events’ The Chosen: Last Supper, a theatrical release of the biblical TV series’ fifth season.
Gold Derby forecasts place Snow White firmly in the lead for the weekend of March 28-30, predicting earnings of under $25 million domestically. A Working Man, an action thriller directed by David Ayer and featuring Jason Statham, is predicted to be a close runner-up. The film involves Levon Cade, portrayed by Statham, who returns to a thrilling life of counter-terrorism after leaving it behind for construction work. Despite its compelling premise, the movie has garnered a mixed reaction, with a Metacritic score of 52 percent.
The Woman in the Yard is another contender, directed by Jaume Collet-Serra. This horror film presents a mysterious woman delivering ominous messages to a suburban family, earning a “rotten” rating on Rotten Tomatoes with a score of 40 percent. The star-studded Death of a Unicorn from A24 mixes comedy, horror, and fantasy, and though it features big names like Paul Rudd, it received a 55 percent rating from Metacritic.
The Penguin Lessons, a drama about personal and political awakenings, features Steve Coogan and Jonathan Pryce and holds a score of 57 percent on Metacritic. Lastly, The Chosen: Last Supper has attracted much attention, debuting with episodes from its fifth season. It enjoys a remarkable 100 percent audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Snow White is predicted to maintain its box-office lead, though it confronts a 53% fall with an anticipated $20 million in weekend earnings. A Working Man, despite involvement from Jason Statham and director David Ayer, lacks the energy to reach the heights of previous collaborations like The Beekeeper, with its $10 million projected opening weekend. Death of a Unicorn is estimated to follow, targeting between $5 million and $7 million, falling short of star Jenna Ortega’s previous successes such as Scream. The Woman in the Yard and The Chosen: Last Supper are likely to complete the rankings, each with expectations of up to $5 million.
Current projections include:
- 1. Snow White
- 2. A Working Man
- 3. Death of a Unicorn
- 4. The Woman in the Yard
- 5. The Chosen: Last Supper
This weekend’s performance reflects continuing challenges faced by Hollywood to align its offerings with audience expectations. The presence of Jason Statham in A Working Man shows potential audience draw despite mediocre initial box-office predictions. As these films find their audiences, the coming weeks will reveal if any can break through the box-office drought or if Snow White’s lead will continue unchecked.
