The summer box office is being completely gobbled up by the likes of Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey and with those two monsters showing no signs of slowing down, it raises the question of whether a mid-budget, sci-fi original movie has a prayer.
Enter director David Robert Mitchell and Warner Bros., who dropped The End of Oak Street as a bit of counterprogramming to the idea of well-established IPs and big-name directors.
In its opening weekend, the film grossed $21 million from North American theaters and $26 million from international theaters for an opening weekend worldwide gross of $47 million.
Not bad for an $85 million original sci-fi flick. However, it’s going to need serious stamina to reach what box office analysts believe is a $200 million break-even mark.
The studio is likely hoping for a scenario where The End of Oak Street's box office run plays out similarly to Sinners, Weapons, and Obsession but a "B" cinema score says otherwise.
Still, critics seem to love the film (84% on Rotten Tomatoes) and the general consensus among regular social media reactions is that the pic is much better than what the marketing is letting on.
Unlike half the blockbusters out there right now, The End of Oak Street isn’t based on a comic book or an old novel. It’s a totally original script written and directed by t Mitchell (It Follows, Under the Silver Lake), with J.J. Abrams producing.
The premise is definitely a little out there as an entire 1980s suburban neighborhood suddenly gets sent back in time and dropped right into a prehistoric era crawling with dangerous dinos.
Leading up to the film's release, Mitchell and Abrams haven't been shy about their influences either, openly admitting the movie is a massive love letter to classic '80s Steven Spielberg and Amblin films.
After a mysterious cosmic event rips Oak Street from suburbia and transports their neighborhood to someplace unknown, the Platt family soon discovers that their very survival depends on them sticking together as they navigate their now unrecognizable surroundings.
Starring Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor, The End of Oak Street also stars Maisy Stella and Christian Convery.
The film is written and directed by David Robert Mitchell and produced by J.J. Abrams, Hannah Minghella, Jon Cohen, David Robert Mitchell, Matt Jackson and Tommy Harper. The executive producers are Chris Bender, Jake Weiner, Joanne Lee and Leeann Stonebreaker.
Mitchell’s team behind the camera includes director of photography Michael Gioulakis, production designer Maya Shimoguchi, editor John Axelrad, composer Michael Giacchino and costume designer Erin Benach.
The film will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, only in theaters and IMAX in North America on August 14, 2026, and internationally beginning 12 August 2026.