A24's Heretic to Challenge Venom at Box Office

A24's horror thriller 'Heretic', featuring Hugh Grant, is projected to generate $10-$12 million in its opening weekend, potentially surpassing Sony's 'Venom: The Last Dance', which is expected to earn $13-$15 million in its third weekend. 'Heretic' has received strong critical acclaim with a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, while 'Venom 3' has garnered $91 million in North America to date, though it falls short of its predecessors. Lionsgate's family film 'The Best Christmas Pageant Ever' is also making its debut, with projections of $6-$8 million in ticket sales. Despite the competition, 'Venom 3' maintains a solid box office presence, having earned $318 million globally so far. Overall, the domestic box office remains down over 11% from 2023, with analysts hopeful that upcoming releases could boost theater attendance. The film landscape is relatively quiet as major studios held back releases around the election period.