The horror-comedy Buddy delivered a surprise breakout at the North American box office, opening far above forecasts and setting several records for distributors Roadside Attractions and Saban Films. The debut feature from director Casper Kelly, backed by producers behind the hit Weapons, follows a beloved children's TV mascot who turns sinister — a premise that struggled to find a buyer at Sundance but ended up thriving thanks to an aggressive, unconventional social media campaign.

Buddy earned $5.36 million across 1,258 US screens, taking sixth place overall despite tracking estimates of only around $2.5 million, and it marks Roadside's best opening since the pandemic and Saban's biggest in twelve years. The R-rated film, voiced in its title role by Keegan-Michael Key, drew a notably young audience (83% under 35) after a viral marketing push built around an in-character "Buddy" persona that amassed over 450,000 followers and 150 million views. Elsewhere in specialty box office, A24's Anthony Bourdain biopic Tony crossed $11 million cumulatively, while newcomers Finding Emily and Idiots posted modest limited-release openings.