Jason Statham’s A Working Man Surprises at No. 1
No one saw this one coming, except maybe Jason Statham. His gritty new thriller A Working Man, directed by David Ayer and co-written by Sylvester Stallone, opened to $15.2 million, snagging the top box office spot. That’s well above forecasts, which had it landing somewhere between $10 and $12 million.
What makes the win even sweeter? It knocked Disney’s Snow White off the top spot in its second weekend.
Statham plays a former military man turned blue-collar worker who gets pulled into a violent rescue mission. It’s straight-laced, action-heavy, and, honestly, a breath of fresh air in a market full of safe bets and franchise fatigue. The movie’s stripped-down premise might be exactly what moviegoers are craving right now.
Disney’s Snow White Suffers Steep Second Weekend Drop
It wasn’t just a dip. It was a tumble. Snow White pulled in $14.2 million in its second weekend, a 66 percent plunge from its $43 million debut.
The film, starring Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot, has been swimming against the current since its first trailer dropped. Controversies over casting, dialogue changes, and the replacement of the seven dwarfs with CGI “magical creatures” didn’t help Disney’s case. On top of that, Zegler’s past interviews about the original film’s themes sparked backlash from traditionalists.
Add a massive $270 million budget to the mix, and you’ve got a serious hill to climb. As of now, Snow White has earned $143.1 million worldwide. Not terrible, but nowhere near what Disney likely hoped for.
Why Audiences Are Choosing Original Action Films
Here’s what’s clear. People are showing up for something that feels fresh, even if it’s not technically a new genre. A Working Man isn’t reinventing action cinema, but it does something crucial. It doesn’t talk down to its audience.
Where Disney’s Snow White tries to balance nostalgia with modern values, and often ends up in a cultural tug-of-war, Statham’s film keeps things straightforward. It’s punchy, literal, and unpretentious.
This weekend might be a small taste of a bigger shift. Original action flicks like The Beekeeper, Nobody, and Wrath of Man have been quietly building momentum. Audiences seem tired of seeing beloved stories reworked with clumsy scripts and bloated budgets. They want something that doesn’t feel like homework.
Looking Ahead: What’s Next at the Box Office
Both A Working Man and Snow White have some competition on the horizon. The Minecraft Movie is expected to pull in younger audiences and families when it hits theaters soon. Then there’s Eric LaRue, a heavy drama that may not rake in big bucks but will certainly steal some critical attention. Freaky Tales, a genre-bender out of Sundance, is getting buzz and could be a sleeper hit.
If A Working Man keeps pulling in decent weekday numbers, it has a shot at breaking $50 million domestically. That’s a win for an original title in 2025. Snow White, on the other hand, needs international markets to pick up the slack. Even that may not save it from being labeled a loss.
