Indie films lead weekend box office

Indie releases show strong reach across markets as a documentary, animation title and debut deliver weekend gains.

Indie films dominate weekend box office

Topping the indie box office, Neon’s Together added 2.6 million in its second week on 2,225 screens, bringing its total to 17.2 million and placing it at No 9. Angel Studios’ Sketch opened with 2.5 million on 2,157 screens, lifting its cume to 5 million and landing at No 10. Magnolia’s Jeff Buckley documentary Its Never Over opened to 400,000 across 120 theaters. The weekend also saw Boys Go To Jupiter open exclusively at New York’s IFC Center with 15,000, the best opening weekend average for an animated film this year, and My Mother’s Wedding debuting to 432,000 on 402 screens.

The results show that indie cinema is finding audiences in diverse markets and through varied formats, from documentaries to animated features. A targeted rollout and festival attention help niche titles punch above their weight in a crowded summer slate. The pattern suggests theaters value experiential programming and tight marketing to build word of mouth beyond big-city premieres.

Highlights

Indie cinema keeps finding new routes to audiences as audiences seek diverse stories.