After the record-breaking runs of The Conjuring: Last Rites and Demon Slayer, the box office (October 8–12, 2025) has returned to calmer waters, as top movie Tron: Ares only managed to score in the mid-teens. Fortunately, local cinephiles flocked to Shangri-La, Gateway, and select Ayala Malls Cinemas, giving Cinemalaya 2025 a solid boost.
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| (C) Disney |
Ares, Disney's second attempt to resurrect the Tron IP on the big screen, opened to $253K (est. ₱14.6 million) in the country, alarmingly lower than Tron: Legacy, which opened to $500K (est. ₱22 million) back in 2010. It’s also just a few million above last week’s Hamilton re-release ($217,110).
Considered cult classics, the Tron films have struggled to expand their appeal over the past decade. It’s also hard to reignite awareness years before release, especially when the nearest Tron ride for Filipinos is located in Shanghai Disneyland. The country has three Disneyland options nearby, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Shanghai, but even with ride familiarity, the latest entry hasn’t brought anything new to the table to attract more casual moviegoers.
On the local front, Cinemalaya wrapped up its 2025 edition last Sunday, October 12, with positive results. This year’s festival grossed ₱13.4 million during its entire run, up 130% from last year’s ₱5.8 million total.
One key factor being credited for this increase is accessibility. Cinemalaya moved its main venue this year from Ayala Malls Manila Bay to Shangri-La Plaza and added Gateway as an extended location. These two venues are closer to the heart of Metro Manila, which likely allowed festivalgoers to catch more entries during weekdays.
While attendance remains below pre-pandemic levels, this is a positive trend for the annual independent film festival, which has recently enjoyed strong post-festival momentum (more entries have been getting theatrical or streaming releases).
Back at the regular box office, The Smashing Machine has now collected $12K (est. ₱715K) in two weeks in the country. The film has underperformed both here and in the United States, suggesting that the material isn’t resonating with audiences despite the presence of Dwayne Johnson.
Gabby’s Dollhouse dropped 79% this week, grossing just $2K (est. ₱116K). After three weeks, the film has only made $65K.
As previewed, the stage is set for Jerrold Tarog’s Quezon to dominate the box office when it opens on October 15. Whether Filipinos will jump on the buzz—we’ll know very soon. One thing’s for sure, though: the month could’ve really used a boost from Taylor Swift.
