The star-studded action comedy, featuring Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans, grossed $34.1 million in its opening weekend, according to studio estimates. While it topped a box office filled mainly with holdovers, its debut is a mixed result given its hefty $200 million-plus budget, with some estimates putting the cost closer to $250 million.
For most traditional studios, such a debut would signal a flop. However, *Red One* is an Amazon MGM Studios release, and its performance in theaters may not be its primary focus. With Amazon’s backing, the film has the advantage of a long-term strategy, potentially finding a wider audience on Prime Video in the future.
Originally conceived as a direct-to-streaming film before Amazon’s acquisition of MGM, *Red One* was positioned to help sustain theaters with fresh content. In this sense, its box office earnings may be seen as more of a bonus, with its true value lying in its extended digital life.
"Amazon has over 250 million worldwide subscribers, which gives a movie like this huge potential," said Kevin Wilson, head of distribution for Amazon MGM Studios. "It's similar to how Netflix views content for its platform—there’s immense value in terms of how many people will ultimately see the film."
*Red One*, the first major studio holiday release since 2018, debuted on 4,032 screens, including IMAX and other premium formats, during a relatively quiet weekend for new releases.
“We’re really pleased with the results,” Wilson added. “Considering how unforgiving the theatrical market can be, especially for original films, this is a strong showing for us.”
Since 2020, only seven films that weren’t sequels or based on existing franchises have grossed over $30 million in their opening weekend, including *Oppenheimer* and *Nope*.
Warner Bros. is handling *Red One*'s international release, where the film has grossed an estimated $50 million over two weekends from 75 markets and 14,783 screens.
However, the film has yet to make a significant impact at the North American box office. Even *Joker: Folie à Deux* outpaced it slightly in its opening weekend. Directed by Jake Kasdan and produced by Dwayne Johnson’s Seven Bucks Productions, *Red One* has been widely criticized, earning a disappointing 33% on Rotten Tomatoes. Jake Coyle of The Associated Press wrote that it “feels like an unwanted high-priced Christmas present.”
Audiences, however, were more favorable, awarding the film an A- on CinemaScore. This suggests that it might still have potential to become a holiday staple in the future.
The film is also performing better than expected in middle America, according to Kevin Wilson, and could see a solid hold through the Thanksgiving holiday as a family-friendly alternative to the upcoming blockbusters.
In other box office news, Sony's *Venom: The Last Dance* added $7.4 million over the weekend, securing second place and bringing its domestic total to $127.6 million. Globally, the film has earned $436.1 million.