The Great Exhale: Hollywood Catches Its Breath Before the Holiday Frenzy

Hollywood is taking a great exhale, catching its breath after a frenetic year of surprising hits before diving into the holiday movie frenzy. The industry is still celebrating successes like Weapons, which raked in $148.8 million globally. But for the next six weeks, the pace is set to slow down considerably.
The year so far has been a thrilling ride, with audience tastes proving to be both unpredictable and highly rewarding for studios willing to take risks. The monster success of Jurassic World Rebirth ($828 million) and the popularity of new horror concepts have been the big stories of 2025.
This period of high activity is now being followed by a deliberate lull. The release slate for late August and September is noticeably sparse, with no major tentpole films scheduled. Theaters will rely on a steady stream of smaller pictures and franchise installments to keep business ticking over.
The holiday frenzy will begin on October 10 with the release of Tron: Ares. This will be followed by a rapid-fire succession of major titles, including Zootopia 2, Predator: Badlands, and Mortal Kombat II, ensuring a very busy and profitable end to the year.