A new sci-fi thriller shakes up theaters as Chris Pratt’s “Mercy” opens strong and long-running hits finally give way.
The box office had a bit of a mood shift on Friday, and moviegoers clearly noticed. After weeks of familiar winners, a new title stepped into the spotlight and nudged a reigning champion aside.
Chris Pratt’s futuristic thriller Mercy debuted at No. 1 on Friday, pulling in $5 million from 3,468 theaters across North America. It’s the only major newcomer of the weekend and is expected to land at about $12.6 million by Sunday — a solid start for a tense, high-concept sci-fi film.
In Mercy, Pratt plays Chris Raven, a detective from the near future who is accused of killing his wife. The twist? His fate is decided by an AI judge, played by Rebecca Ferguson, who gives him just 90 minutes to prove his innocence or face execution.
The film is directed by Timur Bekmambetov, known for his work in the “screenlife” style, with a script by Marco van Belle.
Meanwhile, Avatar: Fire and Ash is showing its first real signs of slowing down. After five straight weekends on top, James Cameron’s sci-fi epic added $1.7 million on its sixth Friday. The film is expected to bring in $7.1 million over the weekend, pushing its North American total to $378 million.
While those numbers would be a dream for most movies, this marks a rare moment where an Avatar sequel won’t dominate for seven weeks straight, unlike the first two films in the franchise.
Holding steady in third place is Lionsgate’s sleeper hit The Housemaid. The thriller earned $1.48 million on Friday and is on track to hit $115 million domestically by the end of the weekend.
Made for just $35 million, the film’s success has already sparked plans for a sequel, with Sydney Sweeney and director Paul Feig set to return.
Disney’s Zootopia 2 continues its impressive run as well. The animated sequel earned $1.4 million on its ninth Friday and should reach $401 million domestically by Sunday — a major milestone.
Rounding out the top five is Sony’s 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, which earned $1.2 million on Friday. After a softer-than-expected opening, the horror sequel is projected to reach $21 million domestically by the end of the weekend.
One thing’s clear: audiences are still showing up — they’re just ready for something new.
PHOTO CREDIT: Amazon MGM Studios
