September is typically a slow month in theaters, but thanks to an emerging young adult franchise and a highly-anticipated biopic, there could be some fireworks at thebox officereminiscent of summer totals. This weekend, fans will return to author James Dashner’s dystopian world withThe Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials, while mobster James ‘Whitey’ Bulger’s story is told on the big screen inBlack Mass, starringJohnny Depp. If the projections atPro.BoxOffice.comare accurate, thenThe Maze Runner: The Scorch Trialsshould have no trouble at all securing the top spot at the box office this weekend.
The Maze Runner: The Scorch Trialsis projected to take in an estimated $48 million this weekend, which would far surpass its predecessor,The Maze Runner, which took the top spot at the box office almost exactly one year ago, with $34 million.The Maze Runnerwould go on to gross a respectable $102.4 million domestically and $238.3 million internationally for a worldwide total of $340.7 million, from a $34 million budget. No budget figures have been released forThe Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials, but if it can earn $48 million or more in its opening weekend, it will be well on its way to at least a $200 million domestic tally, and $500 million worldwide.
Several of the main stars fromThe Maze Runner(Dylan O’Brien, Thomas Brodie-Sangster,Kaya Scodelario, Ki Hong Lee andPatricia Clarkson) are back inThe Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials, with a slew of new characters as well, played byNathalie EmmanuelandAidan Gillen, who both co-star onGame of Thrones, along withKatherine McNamara,Giancarlo EspositoandLili Taylor. After escaping the massive maze known as The Glade, these youngsters are faced with surviving in the desolate wasteland of Earth, now known as The Scorch. This adaptation will be followed by the final installment in this belovedMaze Runnerfranchise,The Maze Runner: The Death Cure. Unfortunately, fans will have to wait a big longer for the finale, withThe Maze Runner: The Death Cureset to hit theaters on August 21, 2025.
Warner Bros.' R-rated dramaBlack Massisn’t expected to give the young Gladers of The Scorch Trials a run for their money, but will still put up some solid numbers. The biopic of James ‘Whitey’ Bulger, starringJohnny Depp, is expected to pull in $21 million in second place. The film does feature a star-studded cast, with Johnny Depp in a rare villainous turn as Boston mobster James ‘Whitey’ Bulger, who was a fixture on the FBI’s Top 10 Most Wanted List, often right behindOsama Bin Laden. This gangster served as the inspiration forJack Nicholson’s Frank Costigan inThe DepartedandPete Postlethwaite’s Fergus “Fergie” Colm inThe Town. Also starring isDakota Johnson,Joel Edgerton,Benedict Cumberbatch,Corey Stoll,Juno Temple,Kevin Bacon,Jesse Plemons,Adam ScottandPeter Sarsgaard.
BothThe Maze Runner: The Scorch TrialsandBlack Masshave gotten positive scores from the critics already, withThe Maze Runner: The Scorch Trialscurrently at 62% “Fresh” onRottenTomatoes.comandBlack Massat 87% “Fresh.” In fact, all of this weekend’s new releases, including limited release titles, have “Fresh” scores, making it a fantastic weekend to head to your local cinema. Although it only opens in 500 IMAX theaters across the country this weekend, with a nationwide expansion planned for the following week,Everesthas the potential to pull in some massive numbers this weekend. We’re predicting thatEverestcould take third place with an estimated $13.2 million, just ahead of last weekend’s winner,The Perfect Guy, in fourth place with $12.9 million, andThe Visitdropping to fifth place with $11.4 million. We could be way off onEverest, but this seems like the perfect film for fans to embrace in IMAX theaters, for those who aren’t into dystopian young adult thrillers or brutal mobsters.Everestcurrently has an 82% “Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Rounding out the top 10 areWar Room($4.1 million),A Walk in the Woods($2.8 million),Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation($2.3 million),Straight Outta Compton($1.9 million) andNo Escape($1.3 million). Opening in limited release this weekend is Bleecker Street’sPawn SacrificestarringTobey Maguire, The Weinstein Company’sAbout Ray, starringNaomi Watts,Elle FanningandSusan Sarandon, Cinedigm’s War Pigs starringMickey RourkeandDolph Lundgren,CootiesstarringElijah WoodandSicario, starringEmily BluntandBenicio Del Toro.Sicariohas been getting a lot of Oscar buzz lately, with the drama, which currently has a 94% Rotten Tomatoes rating, set to expand nationwide on September 25.
Looking ahead to next weekend, three new movies debut in wide release, Sony Animation’scomedysequelHotel Transylvania 2, Warner Bros.' comedyThe Internand High Top Releasing and Blumhouse’sThe Green Inferno.Hotel Transylvania 2andThe Interncurrently don’t have enough reviews on Rotten Tomatoes yet, butThe Green Inferno, which was originally set to hit theaters last fall, currently has a 63% RT rating. Opening in limited release next weekend is Broad Green Pictures'99 HomesstarringAndrew GarfieldandMichael Shannon, Drafthouse’sThe Keeping RoomstarringHailee SteinfeldandSam Worthington, A24 Films’Mississippi GrindstarringRyan ReynoldsandBen Mendelsohn, andStonewall, starringJonathan Rhys Meyers. Be sure to check back on Sunday for the box office estimates, and again on Tuesday for next week’s estimates. Until then, take a look at our projected top 10 for this weekend.
