The film has become something of a unicorn among independent genre releases.
Roadside Attractions and Saban Films’ BUDDY is a box-office success story, taking in an estimated $5,363,827 this weekend at only 1,258 theaters, doubling early projections that saw it grossing $2.5-3 million. That makes it Roadside’s second-highest opening ever after 2018’s I CAN ONLY IMAGINE, and the biggest opening ever for Saban. It’s also the best first weekend for any film in 2026 released on less than 1,800 screens, and a standout among recent indie horror titles in general. Comparisons include this year’s DRACULA by Luc Besson, which debuted with $4.4 million at 2,050 theaters; last year’s CLOWN IN A CORNFIELD, which started with $3.6 million at 2,277 theaters; and LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL, which opened with $2.8 million at 1,034 theaters.
Directed by Casper Kelly, BUDDY is set in the world of a BARNEY & FRIENDS-style kids’ TV show where the titular orange unicorn’s young co-stars slowly become aware that Buddy is actually a malevolent figure. The movie benefitted from positive reviews (including ours), and a viral video campaign that included Buddy attacking a theater employee and getting arrested in Times Square (see the clips below).
“We loved BUDDY the moment we saw the film at Sundance,” say Roadside’s Howard Cohen and Eric d’Arbeloff and Saban’s Jonathan Saba and Shanan Becker in a joint statement. “We were blown away by the wildly imaginative worlds director Casper Kelly created with practical effects, and audiences are clearly responding to its authenticity and its gonzo, WTF horror-comedy-thriller combination.”
You can read our interview with Kelly on BUDDY here.
