‘Buddy’ Horror-Comedy Scares Up No. 6 Specialty Box Office Spot, Sets Roadside Attractions Record

“Buddy” from Roadside Attractions and Saban Entertainment opened strong enough to claim the No. 6 spot on the specialty box office chart, with Deadline reporting it as the label’s best opening since the COVID-era period and its second-best all-time specialty opening after “I Can Only Imagine” (2018), which posted $17 million, the outlet said. Deadline’s accounting placed the film among the week’s top niche performers, reflecting a continuation of demand for limited-release genre titles in theaters.

Deadline said “Buddy” is an R-rated horror-comedy and that it is the feature directorial debut of Casper Kelly. The film is produced by the team behind “Weapons,” which Deadline cited in its report as part of the project’s creative lineage.

The outlet characterized the performance as a notable result for Roadside Attractions, a company known for distributing specialty and faith-adjacent or audience-specific releases alongside genre and thriller titles. In its write-up, Deadline tied the opening to the company’s broader distribution strategy and its ability to generate attendance for films that target specific audiences rather than mass-market multiplexing.

Deadline also linked the results to “Buddy”’s ability to outperform expectations in its initial run. The report positioned the film’s specialty opening as a standout in Roadside Attractions’ recent release slate, underscoring that the company’s highest-performing titles have historically been those that differentiate themselves in tone and audience appeal.

“Buddy”’s theatrical positioning matters for theaters and exhibitors because specialty releases often rely on concentrated opening-week demand rather than long tail visibility. A higher specialty ranking can affect the number of screens that keep the title in rotation, the attention it receives from trade outlets, and the leverage distributors have with regional theater groups as they plan next weeks of programming.

For industry stakeholders, Deadline’s report situates “Buddy” in a competitive specialty environment where R-rated genre titles can face additional audience friction. The film’s debut, however, indicates that appetite for darker comedy and horror can still translate into strong first-week performance when the release is supported by targeted marketing and a distribution rollout designed for niche audiences.

Deadline’s box office ranking also leaves open questions about how the film will hold up in subsequent weeks, including whether its specialty momentum turns into longer-running attendance. Still, as of the outlet’s latest tally, the film’s initial results secured it a top-10 entry on the specialty chart and a record-tier opening for Roadside Attractions.