GLOBAL - Paramount's romantic drama "Regretting You," an adaptation of the best-selling novel by Colleen Hoover, narrowly secured the top spot at the North American box office over the Halloween weekend, according to industry estimates released Sunday, November 2, 2025. The film grossed an estimated $8.1 million in its second week, highlighting a weekend marked by historically low audience turnout across the United States and Canada.

The weekend was one of the quietest of the year for cinemas, with total ticket sales struggling to surpass $50 million, a figure significantly lower than typical weekends and marking the worst-performing October in over two decades, excluding the 2020 pandemic year. Analysts attribute the slump to a lack of major new releases, with Halloween falling on a Friday and the baseball World Series diverting audiences.

Genre Diversity at the Top

"Regretting You," directed by Josh Boone and starring Allison Williams and McKenna Grace, tells the story of a mother and daughter navigating a complex relationship after a family tragedy reveals devastating secrets. Its ascent to the number one position in its second week is unusual and points to the dedicated fanbase of author Colleen Hoover, whose novels are widely available and popular among Kenyan readers.

Finishing a close second was Universal's horror sequel "Black Phone 2," which earned $8.0 million. The film, starring Ethan Hawke, has performed steadily since its release, accumulating a domestic total of over $61 million and surpassing $104 million globally. The performance of a horror sequel underscores the genre's reliable audience appeal, a trend also observed in the Kenyan market.

Last week's box office leader, the Japanese anime feature "Chainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arc," dropped to third place with $6.0 million. The film, distributed by Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures, had a strong opening week, reflecting the growing global box office power of anime. Its continued presence in the top three highlights a diversification of mainstream audience taste. As of early November, the film had grossed $139 million worldwide.

Implications for the Kenyan Market

The success of films based on popular novels like those by Colleen Hoover, alongside genre films like horror and anime, provides insight into global entertainment trends that often influence programming in Kenyan cinemas. Local distributors frequently bring successful international films to theatres in Nairobi, Mombasa, and other urban centres.

Kenyan cinema schedules confirm that audiences have access to a wide range of international films, including major Hollywood blockbusters, Bollywood features, and anime. Nyali Cinemax listings, for instance, show that "Regretting You," "Black Phone 2," and "Chainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arc" are currently being screened. This indicates that Kenyan audiences are part of these global viewing trends, consuming content from diverse genres beyond traditional action blockbusters.

The overall sluggishness of the US box office, however, could have long-term implications. A sustained downturn in the North American market, a key revenue generator for major studios, can affect production budgets and the volume of films produced, which in turn impacts the pipeline of content available for international distribution, including in East Africa. For now, the performance of these top three films demonstrates that content driven by strong existing fanbases—whether from literature, a prior film, or a manga series—can find success even in a challenging market.