It's Bruce Springsteen Versus Anime At The Box Office – Who Comes Out On Top?

It's been relatively quiet at the box office lately. That's partly because movies like "The Smashing Machine" and Disney's pricey "Tron: Ares" have bombed at the box office. Similarly, although "One Battle After Another" performed slightly better, it was still a comparative disappointment. In any event, a very crowded weekend might be just what the doctor ordered, as several new films are making their way to a theater near you. From a Bruce Springsteen biopic to another potential big anime breakout, audiences have much to choose from. But what will come out on top?

The weekend of October 24 will see 20th Century Studios' "Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere" and "Chainsaw Man — The Movie: Reze Arc" leading the way. But the much-buzzed about NEON horror flick "Shelby Oaks," as well as the Colleen Hoover adaptation "Regretting You," are also on deck. There's a little something for everyone, making it an interesting frame.

As of this writing, writer/director Scott Cooper's "Springsteen" has the edge with a projected domestic debut between $17 million and $27 million (per Box Office Theory). Trailing slightly behind is "Chainsaw Man" with between $12 million and $17 million, while "Regretting You" is looking at $11 million to $16 million. Official tracking for "Shelby Oaks" isn't out there, but an opening between "Together" ($6.7 million) and "The Monkey" ($14 million) seems likely.

Hence, if any of these movies overperform or underperform, it could be a very tight racer for the number one spot. "Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle" recently opened to $70 million and has since made well over $100 million domestically. Will "Chainsaw Man" benefit from some anime momentum in the U.S.? And can "Regretting You" become the next "It Ends With Us" (which way overperformed with a $50 million opening en route to $350 million worldwide)?

All these movies (a violent anime, a biopic about an American musical icon, a romance epic, and a buzzy supernatural horror movie) are essentially going for different audiences. So, if they resonate with their intended demographics, it could be a very good frame at the box office overall.

"Deliver Me from Nowhere" chronicles the making of Springsteen's 1982 album "Nebraska." Jeremy Alan White ("The Bear") plays The Boss, who struggles to reconcile the pressures of success with the ghosts of his past. Meanwhile, "Chainsaw Man — The Movie: Reze Arc," sees the titular character caught up in a brutal war between devils, hunters, and secret enemies. A mysterious girl named Reze then enters his world, leaving Denji to face his deadliest battle yet.

"Springsteen" hopes to land somewhere between the Bob Dylan biopic "A Complete Unknown" ($140 million worldwide) and "Elvis" ($288 million worldwide). Against a $50 million budget, an over/under $20 million debut would keep it on track. As for "Chainsaw Man," these movies are generally cheap and play great overseas. Even a $10 million opening would be a win, though it's easy to imagine it doing $20 million.

As for "Regretting You," this feels like a case of Hollywood underestimating the power of serving women specifically. It could surprise if its target audience shows up the way it did for 2022's "Where the Crawdads Sing" and 2024's "It Ends With Us." The same goes for "Shelby Oaks," which is benefitting from solid buzz and the Halloween season. Looking over the pack, there's a lot of upside potential at every turn.

"Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere," "Chainsaw Man — The Movie: Reze Arc," "Regretting You," and "Shelby Oaks" all hit theaters on October 24, 2025.