Box Office Tracking & Forecasts: WUTHERING HEIGHTS ($50M+) and SCREAM 7 ($28-32M+) to Anchor February and Another Slow Winter Calendar

The full version of this report appears in Box Office Theory’s Substack newsletter.

Welcome to 2026! Our long range outlooks are back in full swing this week with key insights and current forecasts below.

Key Tracking Factors & Rationale:

• Wuthering Heights (February 13)
  • Positioned on a long double-holiday frame with the timely advantage of Valentine’s Day landing on Saturday, this reimagined adaptation’s early marketing has courted significant interest thanks to stars Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, as well as a soundtrack created for the film by global pop star Charli XCX. Director Emerald Fennell further hopes to bring out her indie film fans following 2023’s Saltburn.
  • Social and trailer buzz have shown positive momentum in recent months despite some concerns from fans of the original Emily Brontë story. A lean into gothic themes and finely tuned marketing are additional drivers for a strong date-night turnout among Gen Z and millennials, particularly with potential crossover appeal among the Twilight and Fifty Shades fan bases of yesteryear.
  • As the first high-profile release of 2026 aimed toward women, spillover and pent-up demand following The Housemaid and Wicked: For Good is a factor in target demographic appeal for what is being billed as a Valentine’s event.
• Scream 7 (February 27)
  • The franchise is riding a wave of momentum thanks to the 2022 and 2024 films which reinvigorated the brand. The return of Neve Campbell, among others both confirmed and not fully, alongside original writer Kevin Williamson (who also directs here) could keep the nostalgia boost going.
  • Unfortunately, the film has been the target of poor sentiment since before production began. Jenna Ortega’s decision to leave the franchise after co-star Melissa Barrera was fired, plus the departure of Scream (2022) and Scream VI directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, is fueling negative discourse especially among younger fans of the franchise who came into the series and helped turn those recent installments in box office hits.
• I Can Only Imagine 2 (February 20)
  • As a follow-up to the Roadside-distributed 2018 breakout hit, which earned $83.5 million domestically, Lionsgate and Kingdom Story Company will lean into their recent success among faith-based moviegoers as this sequel should resonate with fans of Jesus Revolution and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, among others.
• Other Notes:
  • While pre-sales are lagging behind the pace of predecessor its 2025 predecessor, next week’s release of 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple remains a candidate to perform well as an with a loyal fan following eager to see where the last film’s cliffhanger leads to. Early social media reviews have been glowing again, while the full review embargo will drop on January 13.
  • Alongside Wuthering Heights, the four-day Presidents Day and Valentine’s frame will see Crime 101 aim for action fans, GOAT provide new content for prospective families, and Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die hoping to corral the indie comedy crowd. The four titles combined will be coming off the moviegoing-depressed Super Bowl weekend one frame earlier.

Box Office Calendar, Tracking & Forecasts
as of 1/8/26

(All ranges and pinpoint forecasts are available to paid subscribers in our Substack newsletter.)

All forecasts and tracking ranges above are reflective only of how the films are trending or expected to trend ahead of release. They are not final forecasts or predictions and are subject to revision at any time based on evolving market conditions and various circumstances that are factored into our modeling.