Heart of the Beast has done what no Hollywood film has managed in years: it’s outpaced a Chinese animated blockbuster at the North American box office — and in under a week. Brad Pitt’s survival thriller, released September 25, crossed $24.3 million in just four days across the US and Canada, surpassing Ne Zha 2’s entire domestic haul of $23.3 million. That’s not a typo. The 2025 mythological fantasy from China, which had a strong run, is now eclipsed by a gritty, low-key drama about a man and his dog fighting for life in Alaska. According to Box Office Mojo data cited by Koimoi, the film’s momentum isn’t slowing. It’s already past $54.48 million globally, with $2.7 million on its first discounted Tuesday, a 68.8% jump from Monday. That beat even The Beekeeper’s opening-Tuesday numbers, another David Ayer film starring Pitt. Word-of-mouth is strong, and the film’s quiet intensity seems to be resonating. No explosions. No cameos. Just Pitt, a German Shepherd, and the cold. And yet, it’s pulling in more than a mythic dragon-slayer from Beijing. The question now isn’t whether it’ll hit $100 million. It’s how long this kind of performance can last in a market where sequels and franchises dominate. The next test? Weekend hold. If it sticks, it could become one of the rare non-franchise hits to break through in 2026.