Thescreescore – In an astonishing turn of events that has sent ripples through the cinematic landscape, "The History of Concrete," a documentary helmed by the uniquely insightful John Wilson of HBO’s "How To with John Wilson" fame, has remarkably surpassed a significant box office milestone previously held by Marvel’s colossal "Spider-Man: Brand New Day." This unlikely contender, a film about the very foundations of our built world, achieved an extraordinary per-screen average (PSA) during its opening weekend, overshadowing the web-slinger’s impressive debut performance.
"The History of Concrete" premiered to critical adoration at Sundance, captivating audiences and critics alike with its meta-narrative. The film chronicles Wilson’s endeavor to apply lessons gleaned from a Hallmark movie workshop to craft and market a documentary about concrete, a premise as unconventional as its box office triumph. Following its acclaimed festival run, Magnolia Pictures secured distribution, launching the film theatrically on September 18. Reviews have remained overwhelmingly positive, culminating in a stellar 98% Certified Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, a testament to its compelling execution.
Despite its limited release in just a single North American venue—New York’s esteemed IFC Center—the documentary cemented its place in history. Over its three-day opening, "The History of Concrete" amassed a domestic total of $90,000, translating to an astounding $90,000 per-screen average. This figure catapults the film to an impressive #47 on the all-time chart for debut PSAs, a remarkable feat for any film, let alone a documentary. To put this into perspective, only one other 2026 release, the Charli XCX mockumentary "The Moment" (ranking #27 with a PSA of $106,990 across four theaters), has achieved a higher debut PSA this year.
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The film it surpassed, "Spider-Man: Brand New Day," is no ordinary blockbuster. This superhero epic has shattered numerous records, claiming titles such as the highest-grossing solo superhero film, the most successful Spider-Man movie, Sony’s highest-grossing release, and the top domestic earner of all time. Globally, it stands as the third highest-grossing film, trailing only "Avengers: Endgame" and "Avatar." Yet, even with its monumental success, "Spider-Man: Brand New Day"’s debut PSA of $80,252, which placed it at #61 on the all-time chart, was ultimately outmatched by the humble documentary.
While "The History of Concrete"’s total gross didn’t place it at the top of the weekend’s overall domestic chart (it landed at #22), its per-screen performance allowed it to outshine the weekend’s cumulative earnings of several major releases playing in significantly more theaters. This includes Pixar’s "Toy Story 5" ($50,000 from 95 theaters in its 14th weekend), A24’s "Onslaught" ($36,666 from 50 theaters), the Olivia Wilde comedy "The Invite" ($33,654 from 25 theaters), and Ridley Scott’s "The Dog Stars" ($20,000 from 110 theaters).
This extraordinary debut signals a strong start for "The History of Concrete," potentially fueling significant momentum as its theatrical footprint expands. Following its initial single-screen run, Magnolia Pictures has confirmed plans for a wider release, with the film slated to open in additional theaters on September 25, and further expanding on October 2 and October 3 across states including California, Maine, Massachusetts, Texas, Georgia, Illinois, Tennessee, Delaware, and Ohio. This unexpected box office triumph underscores the power of critical acclaim and a unique premise to capture audience attention, proving that even a documentary about concrete can lay a solid foundation for success against the biggest cinematic titans.
Film Details:
- Release Date: September 18, 2026
- Runtime: 102 Minutes
- Director: John Wilson
- Producers: Clark Filio, Shirel Kozak, Allie Viti, John Wilson
Brennan Klein (he/him) is a senior news writer at thescreescore.com, host of the Attack of the Queerwolf podcast, and contributor at Alternate Ending and Horror Press. He has been writing and podcasting about pop culture (especially horror movies) for over a decade at platforms including Blumhouse, Fangoria, Dread Central, The Backlot, and Arrow in the Head.
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