A biopic about the early life of chef and television host Anthony Bourdain opened to one of the strongest limited debuts of the year, according to Deadline.
A24's Tony grossed $349,000 across six theaters in New York and Los Angeles over the weekend, producing a per-screen average of $58,000. Shows sold out in both markets throughout the weekend.
Director Matt Johnson's film imagines the summer a 19-year-old Bourdain discovered his passion for food while working in a seaside kitchen in Provincetown. The film holds a 95% Certified Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Dominic Sessa plays the young Bourdain and has drawn strong reviews for the performance. The ensemble cast includes Emilia Jones, Stavros Halkias, Leo Woodall, and Antonio Banderas as Bourdain's mentor.
Exit polling showed strong word-of-mouth. The film is set to expand into additional major markets next week before a nationwide rollout on August 21.
Tony was not the only notable debut in the specialty box office space this weekend. Mubi's release of Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, the third film from director Jane Schoenbrun, opened on five screens in New York and Los Angeles to an estimated $251,500, producing a per-screen average of $50,300. The film stars Hannah Einbinder as a young director trying to resurrect a slasher franchise, and Gillian Anderson as the reclusive star of the original films. Schoenbrun's previous features include I Saw the TV Glow and We're All Going to the World's Fair.
CatVideoFest 2026, Oscilloscope's feature-length compilation of cat videos assembled by Will Braden, debuted to $586,000 on 255 screens.
Documentary Cookie Queens, distributed by Roadside Attractions, opened to $328,000 on 446 screens. Director Alysa Nahmias's film takes a close look at Girl Scout Cookie season. The distributor noted that Girl Scout troops bought out screenings in multiple locations. Roadside said it is "encouraged by the response and believe the film has a long life ahead as it continues to reach its many audiences."
For context, the top limited opening of 2026 before this weekend had been A24's The Moment with Charli xcx, which opened to $428,000 on four screens for a per-screen average of $107,000 earlier this year.
Tony expands next week ahead of its August 21 nationwide release.
