‘Dog Man’ Barks Louder at the Box Office, Leaving ‘Companion’ in the Dust

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Over the weekend, a fresh duo stole the limelight at the movie theaters, eclipsing Punxsutawney Phil’s headlines. However, it was “Dog Man” that emerged triumphant, significantly surpassing “Companion” to claim the number one spot and kick off February. With an estimated domestic earnings of $36 million, the animated superhero comedy directed by Peter Hastings proved to be a hit. Meanwhile, the new horror-romantic film managed just $9.5 million (according to The Numbers), earning it the runner-up position.

In a striking contrast, the movie titled “Companion” has garnered impressive ratings both from critics (boasting a “Certified Fresh” 94% score on the Tomatometer) and audiences (earning a “Verified Hot” rating of 91% on the Popcornmeter, which was previously known as the RT audience score). This is in comparison to “Dog Man,” which has recorded a Tomatometer score of 76% and a Popcornmeter score of 86%.

Stepping out of the cinema buzzing with excitement, it’s clear to see why the movie “Dog Man” has been making waves financially during its debut weekend. The film, directed by Peter Hastings and starring Pete Davidson, has been met with an enthusiastic “A” CinemaScore from theatergoers. On the other hand, “Companion,” while still well-received, only garnered a “B+” rating from audiences.

Nonetheless, it’s heartening to see both films contributing significantly to an otherwise lackluster 2025 movie industry, providing a much-needed boost of energy and revenue.

‘Dog Man’ & ‘Companion’ Lead the Second Highest-Grossing Weekend of 2025 So Far

In its debut at the box office, the movie titled “Dog Man,” directed by and starring Peter Hastings, didn’t miss a beat in claiming territory. This new animated film not only had the second highest opening weekend earnings of any animated movie in January (exceeded only by Kung Fu Panda 3 with $41.3 million), but it also topped the list for the second highest-grossing weekend of 2025 when combined with “Companion,” raking in a total of $82.3 million. Moreover, Dog Man boasted the best per-theater average among all films that weekend ($9,266).

Over the weekend, I was part of the team that witnessed a steady performance for The Lion King, with earnings dipping just 29%. This impressive showing propelled us to claim the third spot with $6.1 million. Meanwhile, One of Them Days, directed by my good friend Lawrence Lamont, managed to maintain its financial ground, experiencing a drop of only 25%. It landed at No. 4 with an impressive $6 million in earnings.

Over the opening weekend in February, the top-grossing movie at the box office, titled Flight Risk, unexpectedly plummeted to No. 5, earning just $5.6 million. The new film starring Mark Wahlberg saw a decline of approximately 52% between its debut and second weekends. Given the poor Tomatometer rating (26%) and average “C” CinemaScore it received, this drop wasn’t entirely unexpected.

The latest “Wolf Man” film experienced a steady decline at the box office, falling out of the Top 10 rankings and starting February with a disappointing performance. Following its debut at the third spot during its opening weekend (January 17-19), this questionable modern take on the classic Universal Monster character has dropped significantly to the 13th position ($1.2 million). This latest figure marks a steep 65% drop from its earnings between its second and third weekends.

Next up, on February 7th, the film “Love Hurts”, starring Ke Huy Quan and Ariana DeBose, commences its theatrical release simultaneously with another horror-romantic comedy titled “Heart Eyes”. But a highly anticipated movie from 2025, “Captain America: Brave New World”, is set to hit theaters a week later. In this film, Anthony Mackie’s portrayal of Captain America clashes with Harrison Ford’s character, President Thunderbolt Ross/Red Hulk.

Paddington Bear will additionally be a part of the anticipated Marvel Cinematic Universe film, set to release during Valentine’s Day weekend. Yet, the live-action and animated comedy has already garnered significant attention overseas, earning $93.2 million internationally. Critics have largely appreciated the new cinematic adventure of this adored bear, resulting in a commendable 93% Tomatometer rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 69 reviews so far.

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2025-02-03 02:33