Four major film releases are opening this weekend with strong preview numbers, suggesting the late September box office could reach its best performance since 2018. Disney/Marvel's Avengers: Endgame: Encore, A24's Primetime, Paramount's Heart of the Beast, and Universal/DreamWorks Animation's Forgotten Island are all targeting different audience demographics, creating a diverse competitive landscape rather than a single dominant release.

Disney/Marvel's Avengers: Endgame: Encore led preview numbers with $3.8 million, ahead of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith's previous $3.4 million record. A24's Primetime earned $2.7 million in previews across 2,859 theatres, with industry sources suggesting it could potentially reach a $20 million opening despite initial expectations of $12–16 million. Paramount's Heart of the Beast made $2 million and has received an exceptional 97 per cent audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Universal's Forgotten Island accumulated $1.48 million in preview screenings and holds a 95 per cent critics' score, making it the only family option until Warner Bros' Cat in the Hat arrives. A potential three-way battle for first place could develop between Avengers, Primetime, and Resident Evil in its second weekend.