In the bustling world of specialty cinema, where niche films vie for attention amid blockbuster dominance, two releases stood out this weekend: the martial arts epic Blades of the Guardians and the concert documentary EPiC: Elvis Presley In Concert. According to box office estimates from Deadline, Blades of the Guardians, a Chinese New Year's title distributed by Well Go USA, kicked off with a promising $760,000 from 184 runs, including $282,000 from Thursday previews. Starring action stars Jet Li and Wu Jing, and directed by the legendary 80-year-old martial arts choreographer Yuen Woo-ping—known for his work on Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, The Matrix, and Kill Bill—the film is drawing an unexpected crossover audience beyond the Chinese diaspora to mainstream action enthusiasts.
Jason Pfardrescher, executive vice president of distribution at Well Go USA, expressed optimism about the film's trajectory. “Crossover momentum is turning this into a true theatrical event, and we’re expanding to meet the demand,” Pfardrescher said. The distributor plans to add at least 100 more screens, a move that's unusual for Chinese films, which typically don't expand much beyond their initial limited release footprint. Pfardrescher noted that initial interest mirrored buzz from China, where other New Year's films like Pegasus 3—which is projected to dominate the global weekend box office with $400 million—were expected to outperform Blades. “It started off a little bit behind,” he added, but the film is gaining steam, boasting a 97% Certified Fresh audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Informal checks at theaters revealed a diverse demographic, with broad appeal alongside core Asian audiences. The numbers were particularly strong at Alamo Drafthouse locations, where the film's high-energy action sequences and epic storyline resonated. The plot centers on Dao Ma, a legendary bodyguard and the second most wanted criminal in the land, tasked by his benefactor to escort Zhi Shilang—the most wanted fugitive—across the treacherous Gobi Desert to Chang’an. Their journey is packed with life-or-death battles, as Zhi's mysterious identity holds the key to the nation's fate. A trailer for the film highlights these intense martial arts showdowns, underscoring Yuen Woo-ping's signature choreography.
Meanwhile, Baz Luhrmann's EPiC: Elvis Presley In Concert, distributed by Neon, delivered a regal performance with an estimated $3.25 million from just 325 locations, landing at No. 7 on the top 10 domestic chart. This marks the biggest opening weekend ever for an IMAX-exclusive music release in the U.S., with a per-screen average of $10,000—the highest among the weekend's top performers and the only film under 1,000 runs in the top 10. Elissa Federoff, Neon's distribution chief, highlighted the film's intimate yet grand appeal. “We’re excited to see audiences connecting with EPiC,” Federoff said, describing the documentary as “something deeply personal and undeniably cinematic—Elvis at his best, on the biggest screens possible.”
The documentary captures Elvis Presley in full concert glory, leveraging IMAX's immersive format ahead of a national rollout. Its success underscores a resurgence in music-driven specialty releases, tapping into nostalgia for the King of Rock 'n' Roll. This comes as the film prepares for wider distribution, potentially broadening its reach to more theaters beyond the initial IMAX focus.
Other notable debuts in the specialty arena included A24's comedic thriller How to Make a Killing, directed by John Patton Ford, which opened to $3.56 million across 1,600 screens, securing the No. 6 spot. Starring Glen Powell and Margaret Qualley, the film marks Ford's follow-up to his 2022 directorial debut Emily the Criminal, blending humor with suspense in a tale of ordinary people entangled in extraordinary schemes.
In its third week, Harry Lighton's Pillion, a so-called “dom-com” (domestic comedy) from A24 featuring Alexander Skarsgård and Harry Melling, continued to build momentum with $576,400 from only 89 screens. The film's quirky exploration of relationships and everyday absurdities has played well across various markets, prompting A24 to plan a nationwide expansion through March.
The 2026 Oscar-nominated shorts program, presented by Roadside Attractions in its first year handling the package, opened to just over $1 million at 354 theaters. This collection compiles the Academy Award-nominated entries in Animated, Documentary, and Live Action categories into three feature-length programs, offering audiences a curated glimpse into potential winners ahead of the March ceremony.
Focus Features' Midwinter Break, directed by Polly Findlay and starring Lesley Manville and Ciarán Hinds, debuted more modestly with $530,000 from 808 theaters. The drama, set against a poignant family reunion, explores themes of loss and reconciliation during a winter holiday.
IFC Films' This Is Not a Test opened to $150,000 at 450 theaters, while Abramorama's documentary Billy Preston: That’s the Way God Planned It earned $15,000 in a single showing at New York City's Film Forum. The film delves into the life of the legendary keyboardist, known for his collaborations with The Beatles and Rolling Stones.
Among holdovers, Briarcliff Entertainment's Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die added an estimated $1.5 million in its second week from 1,672 locations, bringing its cumulative total to $6.58 million. Neon's Nirvanna: The Band the Show the Movie is eyeing $550,000 for its second weekend on 384 screens, pushing its cume to $2.4 million.
Vertical's Dracula, the distributor's highest-grossing title to date, grossed $1.3 million in its third weekend from 1,275 screens, with Cinemark circuits leading the performance and a running total of $11.4 million. GKIDS' Kokuho, also in week three, pulled in $409,000 over the three days from 261 theaters, for a cumulative $606,000.
This weekend's specialty box office reflects a vibrant, if fragmented, landscape for independent and international films. While mainstream hits like GOAT dethroned Wuthering Heights at No. 1 during an otherwise weak overall weekend, smaller releases are carving out dedicated audiences through targeted marketing and word-of-mouth. The crossover success of Blades of the Guardians signals potential for Chinese cinema to break further into Western markets, especially during cultural holidays like Chinese New Year.
Broader industry currents add context to these numbers. Global box office projections show Chinese New Year's films leading the charge, with Pegasus 3 expected to rake in $400 million worldwide. Meanwhile, off-screen developments, such as the Department of Justice's antitrust probe into Netflix's leverage over creators amid its Warner Bros. deal review, and former President Trump's public call for Netflix to fire board member Susan Rice or face “consequences,” highlight ongoing tensions in the entertainment sector. At the Berlin Film Festival, Yellow Letters clinched the Golden Bear, underscoring international cinema's vitality.
Looking ahead, expansions for films like Blades of the Guardians and EPiC could sustain this momentum, while the Oscar shorts and other limited releases eye awards season buzz. For distributors like Well Go USA and Neon, these openings represent not just financial wins but validations of bold programming choices in a competitive market.