Hollywood: ‘Dune’ leads domestic box office again as ‘Antlers,’ ‘Last Night in Soho’ struggle to scare up crowds – Gulf Digital News

Hollywood: ‘Dune’ leads domestic box office again as ‘Antlers,’ ‘Last Night in Soho’ struggle to scare up crowds – Gulf Digital News

The domestic box office was lighter on the treats and heavier on the tricks during Halloween weekend, capping an otherwise busy October at the movies on a muted note.

Horror movies "Antlers" and "Last Night in Soho" opened nationwide and struggled to scare up strong ticket sales, leaving last weekend's champion "Dune" to rule over box office charts again.

It's the first time since Covid-19 that people could safely celebrate the spooky holiday, so it's understandable that audiences opted to trick-or-treat or go to costumed parties rather than visit their local multiplex.

"Dune," the big-screen adaptation of Frank Herbert's influential sci-fi novel, generated $15.5 million in its second weekend of release, bringing its domestic total to $69.4 million.

The film, which opened simultaneously on HBO Max, declined 62% from its debut, a considerably better hold than other Warner Bros. spectacles, such as "Mortal Kombat," "The Suicide Squad" and "Space Jam: A New Legacy."

Those movies all but collapsed in their second weekends, plunging roughly 70%, while playing day-and-date on streaming.

For "Dune," most of the marketing has hinged the idea that fans need to watch the movie in the best possible quality, which is to say it demands to be seen in theaters. Patrons have