‘Verity’ Is Exploding at the Box Office With Massive Walkups and a Monster Friday
Hollywood has been in the Colleen Hoover business ever since 2024’s ‘It Ends with Us’ earned $351 million at the worldwide box office. That film opened to around $50 million, which is the benchmark every Hoover adaptation since has been measured against. The latest to hit theaters, ‘Verity‘, is now putting up some interesting numbers of its own.
The psychological thriller, directed by Michael Showalter, stars Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett, and it is the fourth Hoover adaptation to reach theaters. The R-rated film opens nationwide on Friday, Oct. 2, after Thursday previews. It was produced by Amazon MGM Studios for $40 million.
The stakes are a bit higher than usual for the studio. Amazon MGM is looking to rebound after this summer’s ‘Masters of the Universe’, which flopped with $113 million globally against a $200 million budget. A solid opening for ‘Verity’ would help turn the page.
Now the numbers are moving in the right direction. Global Box Office reports that ‘Verity’ is seeing outstanding walk-ups and Friday sales, putting it on track for a $25 million to $32 million domestic debut, which would easily make it No. 1 for the weekend. The account called it another testament to how powerful Hoover adaptations are.
VERITY is having outstanding walkups and Friday’s sales, as it’s now on track for a $25M-$32M domestic debut, easily #1!
— Global Box Office (@GlobalBoxOffice) October 1, 2026
Starring Dakota Johnson and Anne Hathaway, it’s another testament of how powerful Colleen Hoover adaptations are. pic.twitter.com/W8LmDN3il2
That is a notable bump from earlier tracking. Global Box Office had previously pegged the film at $19 million to $25 million based on pre-sales. Other forecasts have been scattered, with Box Office Theory estimating $24 million to $34 million and Amazon MGM itself projecting $27 million to $30 million.
The more optimistic projections come from the trades. Variety is forecasting $30 million to $35 million from 3,510 theaters, while TheWrap has projected $35 million. Deadline said the domestic outlook is $30 million-plus, with potential to overperform thanks to walk-up business from Hoover fans.
The weekend’s other big release is working against ‘Digger’, Tom Cruise’s new film, which is projected to open with just $12 million to $15 million from 3,300 North American screens. That has ‘Verity’ positioned to take the top spot, and some observers believe it could triple that opening. A win would be Hathaway’s third No. 1 opening of the year, following ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ and ‘The Odyssey’.
It has been a busy year for Hathaway. ‘Verity’ is her fifth film of 2026, after ‘Mother Mary’, ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’, ‘The Odyssey’ and ‘The End of Oak Street’. That film opened to $21 million, which one box office analyst called a worst-case benchmark for ‘Verity’.
Overseas, Deadline said the film has a shot at $20 million to $25 million in 70 offshore territories, which would add up to a $50 million to $55 million global start. Previews began Thursday at 2 p.m.
Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson, and Josh Hartnett star in an all-new trailer for #Verity.
— Rotten Tomatoes 🍅 (@RottenTomatoes) August 11, 2026
In theaters October 2. pic.twitter.com/niq02J5nO5
The reviews are another story. After the embargo lifted, the film earned a 43% rotten score on Rotten Tomatoes based on 65 reviews, with a 43 on Metacritic. The most common complaint is that the film never commits to the trashiness the material demands, playing it safe instead of embracing a sleazy 1990s-style erotic thriller.
There are bright spots, though. Screen Rant’s review called it the best Hoover adaptation yet and praised Johnson’s performance. Early reactions online have been wildly divided, with some viewers calling it a wild ride and others calling it Hoover’s worst adaptation.
Past results suggest critics may not matter much here. ‘Reminders of Him’ received mixed reviews yet grossed $89 million against a $25 million budget. ‘It Ends with Us’ also showed that Hoover’s loyal fanbase largely ignores the critical consensus.
If the Friday numbers hold, ‘Verity’ could be one of the more profitable fall releases, since its budget is low relative to its projected opening. The film also has the benefit of strong word of mouth among book clubs and friend groups. The real test will come in the following weeks, when the opening-weekend rush fades.
Can Verity dominate the weekend box office?
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