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CAPTAIN AMERICA flew high enough to top the boxoffice chart, but plunged 68% from its opening weekend.

Nonetheless, exhibitors were happy to have $28.2M in ticket sales thanks to CAPTAIN. Despite being slammed by Rotten Tomatoes critics (49%), BRAVE’s holding on in a blah sort of way.

The weekend’s high energy buzz came from the low budget indie horror thriller THE MONKEY, which opened #2 to $14M via Neon, which is also shining brightly these days thanks to its best picture Oscar favorite ANORA. MONKEY’s strength is further proof that horror movie fans want to be scared in a dark theatre full of terrified strangers rather than stay home streaming and be screaming alone.

With so little boxoffice coin at the top, domestic ticket sales this weekend totaled $77.1M, according to Comscore Senior Media Analyst Paul Dergarabedian. That was down 50.4% from the prior weekend, but up 25% vs. this time last year. Comscore’s year to date tally has 2025 at $998.9M, up 21% from $825.3M in 2024. The prior weekend was up 22% vs. last year.

Meanwhile, back at the multiplexes: Disney/Marvel’s CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD was first with $28.2M (-68.26%) at 4,105 theatres ($6,870), per Comscore. It’s done $141.2M domestic and $289.4M worldwide. Budget buzz: $180M to produce.

Neon/C2 Motion Picture Group/Atomic Monster’s R rated horror thriller THE MONKEY opened #2 to $14.2M at 3,200 theatres ($4,438), per Comscore. Budget buzz: $10M. MONKEY, which runs a quick 98 minutes, is directed by Osgood Perkins (LEGALLY BLONDE), who also wrote its screenplay  based on a Stephen King short story.

MONKEY’s tracking best and equally well for first choice with over-25 men & under-25 women (each 2 points over norm). Rotten Tomatoes critics are okay at 77%, but audiences are much less happy at 61%.

Sony/StudioCanal’s PG comedy adventure PADDINGTON IN PERU slid one slot to #3 in weekend two with $6.5M (-49.07%) at 3,890 theatres ($1,671). It’s done $25.3M domestic and $150.2M worldwide. Budget buzz: $90M from StudioCanal to produce.

Next weekend (2/28): Focus Features’ LAST BREATH, opening at about 2,500 theatres, is the weekend’s only wide release from a studio label.  Directed by Alex Parkinson, who directed the 2019 TV documentary version of this story, it stars Woody Harrelson, Simu Liu & Finn Cole.

LAST is tracking for first choice below norm with all demos. No Rotten Tomatoes scores yet. It’s the true story of deep-sea divers racing against time to rescue a crewmate trapped far below the ocean’s surface.