NEW YORK (AP) \u2014 \u201cPredator: Badlands\u201d<\/a> led all films in North American theaters with a debut of $40 million, according to studio estimates Sunday, a better-than-expected result that slightly lifted the box office from its autumn doldrums.<\/p>\n On the heels of the worst box office weekend of 2025, \u201cPredator: Badlands\u201d faced little competition from new titles. Not accounting for inflation, the $40 million opening marked a new high for the dreadlocked alien franchise, besting the $38.3 million launch of 2004\u2019s \u201cAlien vs. Predator.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPredator: Badlands,\u201d written and directed by Dan Trachtenberg, collected another $40 million overseas for the Walt Disney Co.\u2019s 20th Century Studios. A key factor for \u201cPredator: Badlands\u201d is that, with a budget of $105 million, it\u2019s also the most expensive \u201cPredator\u201d film.<\/p>\n \u201cBadlands,\u201d the eighth movie in the franchise that began with 1987\u2019s \u201cPredator,\u201d offers a novel twist for the sci-fi series. On a remote planet, a young, outcast predator (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) encounters an android researcher (Elle Fanning), and the two set off on a journey. Reviews<\/a> (85% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes) have been good. Moviegoers gave it an \u201cA-\u201d CinemaScore.<\/p>\n Good news had lately been hard to find in movie theaters. On Wednesday, AMC Theaters, the largest theater chain, posted a $298.2 million quarterly loss, partly due to a less-than-stellar summer season. But the fall has been worse. Last month was the lowest-grossing October in nearly three decades. Few awards hopefuls have made much of a mark.<\/p>\n This weekend, a new wave hit theaters. But despite plenty of star power, most fell flat.<\/p>\n \u201cDie My Love,\u201d<\/a> starring Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson, launched with $2.8 million from 1,983 theaters. The film, directed by Lynne Ramsay, stars Lawrence as a new mother and Pattinson as her husband. Mubi plunked down a reported $24 million for \u201cDie My Love\u201d after its debut at the Cannes Film Festival<\/a>. Audience slammed it with a \u201cD+\u201d CinemaScore.<\/p>\n \u201cChristy,\u201d<\/a> starring Sydney Sweeney as the professional boxer Christy Martin, debuted with $1.3 million in 2,011 theaters. The film, the first one distributed by production company Black Bear Pictures, has earned Sweeney awards buzz since its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.<\/a><\/p>\n Sony Pictures Classics\u2019 \u201cNuremberg,\u201d<\/a> a post-World War II drama about the Nuremberg trials starring Rami Malek and Russell Crowe, managed to do a bit better. It opened with $4.1 million in 1,802 theaters.<\/p>\n It was slightly edged by the best performer of the newcomers: \u201cSarah\u2019s Oil.\u201d The Amazon MGM release opened with $4.5 million from 2,410 locations. It stars Naya Desir-Johnson as a young Black girl in the early 1900s who learns that her Oklahoma land allotment is rich with oil. \u201cSarah\u2019s Oil\u201d scored a rare \u201cA+\u201d CinemaScore from ticket buyers.<\/p>\n Arguably the most promising of the prospective awards movies to open in theaters over the weekend was Neon\u2019s \u201cSentimental Value.\u201d<\/a> The film, a prize-winner at Cannes, directed by Norwegian-Danish filmmaker Joachim Trier, has been tabbed as a major Oscar contender this year. The family drama\u2019s cast<\/a> includes Renate Reinsve, Stellan Skarsg\u00e5rd, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, and, in her second movie of the weekend, Elle Fanning. It opened in four theaters with $200,000, giving it a $50,000 per-screen average. That\u2019s the third best of the year.<\/p>\n