Hollywood is reeling from a weekend of shocking twists as Marvel’s Captain America: Brave New World nosedives in its second weekend, while Neon’s creepy horror hit The Monkey climbs higher, proving indie studios can still outplay superhero giants.
The fourth installment in the Captain America saga stumbled hard, dropping a jaw-dropping 68% in ticket sales after its 110 million opening. Thefilmscrapedjust∗∗110millionopening.Thefilmscrapedjust∗∗35 million** domestically this weekend—a collapse even worse than 2023’s The Marvels disaster. Fans are blaming everything from lukewarm reviews (“too much CGI, not enough heart”) to “superhero fatigue,” with one industry insider whispering, “Audiences want fresh stories, not recycled shields.”
But as Marvel sweats, Neon is popping champagne. Their low-budget horror flick The Monkey, based on Stephen King’s chilling short story, devoured $12.3 million in its debut weekend—triple its production cost. The film’s viral TikTok buzz (thanks to its nightmare-fuel puppet) and rave reviews (“90% on Rotten Tomatoes”) turned it into this summer’s sleeper hit. Neon, the studio behind Parasite and Anatomy of a Fall, just scored its third straight win, cementing its reputation as the king of smart, scary storytelling.
“This isn’t just about The Monkey—it’s a wake-up call,” says box office analyst Rachel Park. “Viewers are craving originality. Superhero films need to evolve, or they’ll keep sinking.” Meanwhile, Captain America’s freefall raises questions about Marvel’s Phase 5 strategy, especially with rumors of behind-the-scenes reshoots and script drama.
Can Chris Evans’ successor Anthony Mackie save the franchise? Or will The Monkey’s sinister grin haunt Marvel all the way to Labor Day? One thing’s clear: In Hollywood’s David vs. Goliath battle, the little guys are swinging harder than ever.
Stay tuned for updates—and maybe sleep with the lights on.
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