October 26, 2026 | Plastiq News Entertainment desk.
Hollywood has a new box office champion, but the biggest story isn’t necessarily who’s sitting at No. 1.
DC Studios’ Clayface reportedly dominated the October 23–25 domestic box office with a $24 million opening, proving that Hollywood’s comic book obsession still has room for something darker.
Meanwhile, Paramount’s Street Fighter suffered a punishing second-weekend collapse, and an unlikely documentary continued challenging Hollywood’s traditional box office playbook.
CLAYFACE: DC’S DARK HORSE DELIVERS
With an estimated $24 million domestic debut, Clayface demonstrates the potential of a different approach to comic book filmmaking.
Rather than relying on massive superhero spectacle, DC embraced the character’s horror roots, delivering a genre-driven film with a reported $44 million production budget.
The Plastiq Take: Hollywood doesn’t need every comic book adaptation to become a $200 million blockbuster. Smaller budgets, recognizable characters, and distinctive storytelling could be a smarter formula for long-term success.
STREET FIGHTER: A KNOCKOUT IN THE WRONG DIRECTION
Last weekend, Street Fighter celebrated a $31 million opening. This weekend? An estimated $8.6 million and a staggering 72% decline.
That’s a troubling development for a franchise carrying decades of video game nostalgia.
The Plastiq Take: Brand recognition sells opening-weekend tickets. Audience satisfaction helps sell tickets afterward. Hollywood needs to remember the difference.
THE SURPRISE CONTENDER
A24’s You Can See Everything reportedly secured second place with $19.5 million, increasing its weekend earnings by 25%.While expensive franchise films fight to retain audiences, this documentary is reportedly expanding its reach.
Sometimes the biggest box office surprises come from the projects Hollywood least expects.
DOMESTIC BOX OFFICE TOP 10
October 23–25, 2026 | Preliminary Estimates.
1. Clayface — $24.00M. 2. You Can See Everything — $19.50M. 3. Wildwood — $11.78M. 4. Street Fighter — $8.60M. 5. Wicker — $5.75M. 6. Other Mommy — $3.85M. 7. Sense and Sensibility — $3.40M. 8. Whalefall — $3.20M. 9. Verity — $3.06M. 10. Resident Evil — $3.00M
Figures are preliminary weekend estimates for the United States and Canada and are subject to revision.
THE FINAL FRAME
Clayface won the weekend, but Street Fighter’s dramatic decline and the unexpected strength of You Can See Everything tell a much bigger story.
Hollywood’s future may depend less on how recognizable a franchise is and more on whether audiences believe the experience is worth their money.
Because opening weekend creates the headlines. Staying power tells the real story.
PLASTIQ NEWS — Beyond the Headlines. Inside the Culture.
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Sources:
Box Office Mojo:
https://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/2026W43
The Numbers:
https://www.the-numbers.com/box-office-chart/weekend/2026/10/23
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