Send Help Poised to Dethrone Avatar: Fire And Ash at Global Box Office With $25M Debut

Iron Lung, Shelter, and Melania also opening this weekend with potential surprises

Jan. 28, 2026 at 2:15pm

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The Sam Raimi-directed thriller Send Help is expected to lead the global box office this weekend with a $25 million debut, potentially dethroning the long-running Avatar: Fire And Ash. Meanwhile, the self-financed and self-distributed video game adaptation Iron Lung, the Jason Statham action film Shelter, and the documentary Melania about the former First Lady are also opening and could provide some surprises.

Why it matters

This final weekend of January is shaping up to be an intriguing one at the box office, with several new wide releases vying for audience attention. The performance of these films will provide insights into the current state of the movie-going landscape, including the appetite for genre thrillers, video game adaptations, action movies, and politically-charged documentaries.

The details

Send Help, starring Dylan O'Brien and Rachel McAdams, is expected to lead the pack with a $15 million-plus domestic debut and another $10 million-plus internationally. The film follows a tech boss who gets stranded on a deserted island with his office accountant. Iron Lung, a self-financed and self-distributed video game adaptation from YouTuber Markiplier, is eyeing a $9 million-$10 million domestic opening based on strong presales. The Jason Statham action film Shelter is looking at a $5 million-$7 million debut, while the Melania documentary about the former First Lady is aiming for a $5 million-plus opening, which would be the best for a documentary in a decade.

  • Send Help opens in theaters on January 28, 2026.
  • Iron Lung opens in theaters on January 28, 2026.
  • Shelter opens in theaters on January 28, 2026.
  • Melania opens in theaters on January 28, 2026.

The players

Sam Raimi

The director of Send Help, a genre thriller film.

Dylan O'Brien

The lead actor in Send Help, playing a tech boss stranded on a deserted island.

Rachel McAdams

The co-lead actress in Send Help, playing the tech boss's office accountant.

Markiplier

A YouTuber who self-financed and self-distributed the video game adaptation Iron Lung.

Jason Statham

The star of the action film Shelter, directed by Ric Roman Waugh.

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What’s next

The performance of these films over the full weekend will provide further insights into audience preferences and the overall health of the box office as we head into the spring movie season.

The takeaway

This diverse slate of new releases - from a Sam Raimi thriller to a video game adaptation to a politically-charged documentary - highlights the continued evolution and unpredictability of the post-pandemic box office landscape, where a mix of genre, platform, and subject matter can all vie for moviegoer attention.