Strong Limited Debut for No Other Choice at 2025 Weekend Box Office Alongside The Testament of Ann Lee, Father Mother Sister Brother, and Top Indie Hits
The 2025 closing weekend featured a notable performance from independent films, led by the breakout hit Marty Supreme, which secured a spot in the top ten. Several awards contenders also drew solid numbers in limited releases, indicating a successful connection between films and audiences.
Park Chan-wook’s comedy thriller No Other Choice, distributed by Neon and starring Lee Byung-hun, grossed an impressive $313,000 over the three-day weekend and $625,000 during the four-day holiday period across 13 theaters in five markets. This film, which won the International People’s Choice Award at TIFF, marks the second collaboration between Neon and Park, following the successful re-release of Oldboy in 2023. It also serves as South Korea’s official entry for the 98th Academy Awards, with nominations for Best International Feature, and follows a fired executive on a desperate job hunt after being laid off from a company where he worked for 25 years.
Elissa Federoff, Neon’s Chief Distribution Officer, described the response as “extraordinary,” noting that audiences are flocking to a bold, timely film that resonates deeply at this moment. The indie distributor also showcased The Secret Agent (now in its fifth week), Sentimental Value (eighth week), and It Was Just An Accident (eleventh week) at 136, 82, and 15 theaters, respectively.
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Mona Fastvold’s film The Testament of Ann Lee debuted in four venues across New York and Los Angeles, exclusively in 70mm format, achieving $71,000 for the three-day weekend and $111,000 over the four-day holiday frame. Starring Amanda Seyfried, the film focuses on the founder of the Shakers, a devotional sect known for expressing their spirituality through dance and song. The distributor, Searchlight Pictures, hosted live performances at Landmark Sunset featuring choreographer Celia Rowlson-Hall and ten dancers, including three performers from the film, all adorned in original costumes.
The film is set to expand its screenings in New York and Los Angeles, with additional locations including the Brooklyn Academy of Music (35mm), Alamo Brooklyn (70mm), and several theaters in cities such as Chicago, Boston, Washington, D.C., and Austin.
Searchlight’s Is This Thing On?, directed by Bradley Cooper, reported a gross of $203,000 in its limited second-week expansion to 33 screens, bringing its cumulative total to $511,000. The film features Will Arnett and Laura Dern and expanded its reach to major markets, including Chicago and San Francisco.
Meanwhile, Mubi’s release of Jim Jarmusch’s Venice Golden Lion-winner Father Mother Sister Brother debuted to $48,000 for the three-day period and approximately $95,000 for the five-day weekend across four screens in New York, Los Angeles, and Montreal. The cast includes notable names such as Tom Waits, Adam Driver, Mayim Bialik, and Cate Blanchett.
The Plague, from IFC Films Entertainment Group, opened with $21,200 over three days and $36,500 for the holiday weekend on two screens.
In wider indie releases, Josh Safdie’s Marty Supreme exceeded expectations during its nationwide rollout, marking one of the biggest Christmas Days for an R-rated film, finishing at No. 32 on the top ten list. Launched on 2,668 screens, it has garnered $28.3 million since its limited debut the previous week, which constitutes A24’s largest opening weekend to date, including $27.1 million over the four-day holiday. The film is currently Certified Fresh at 95% on Rotten Tomatoes, appealing particularly to younger audiences.
A24’s holdover Eternity garnered $244,000 for the three-day weekend and $321,000 across the four days on 203 screens, accumulating $15.5 million in total.
Animated film David from Angel Studios achieved a $12.7 million gross in its second weekend, contributing to a total nearing $50 million across 3,000 screens. This marks Angel’s best three-day theatrical opening and the highest for a faith-based animated feature.
Craig Brewer’s Song Sung Blue, featuring Kate Hudson and Hugh Jackman, recorded an estimated $7.6 million over the three-day weekend and $12 million for the four days at 2,578 theaters. With an A CinemaScore and a Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score of 98%, the film has resonated strongly, particularly with female audiences and those over 35 years old, achieving success in both large and regional circuits.
