In a surprising twist at the box office, Lionsgate’s “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t” pulled off its own kind of magic trick this weekend, conjuring up $21.3 million domestically to claim the top spot and outperform Glen Powell’s much-anticipated “The Running Man.”
The Illusionists Return to Form
The third installment in the “Now You See Me” franchise proved there’s still life in the eight-year-old series, despite the lengthy gap since 2016’s “Now You See Me 2.” With an additional $54.2 million from 64 international territories, the film achieved a worldwide opening of $75.5 million—a solid foundation for the $90 million production.
“This is still a viable franchise,” noted Paul Dergarabedian, head of marketplace trends at Comscore. “The international audience really delivered for the film.”
Directed by Ruben Fleischer (“Venom,” “Zombieland”), the film brings back franchise stars Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, and Dave Franco as the Robin Hood-esque magicians who target corrupt elites. The sequel also introduces fresh faces including Justice Smith, Dominic Sessa, and Ariana Greenblatt to appeal to younger demographics.
“We gave the audience exactly what they wanted,” said Kevin Grayson, Lionsgate’s head of domestic distribution. “The new cast helped bring in younger moviegoers.”
The film’s audience skewed 54% female and 65% over the age of 25, demonstrating broad appeal across demographics. With a fourth installment already in development, Lionsgate appears to have successfully revived a franchise many had written off.
A Stumble for Glen Powell and Edgar Wright
Unfortunately, “The Running Man” couldn’t keep pace, landing in second place with a disappointing $17 million domestic opening. Combined with $11.2 million internationally, the film’s $28.2 million global debut falls well short of what Paramount needed given its $110 million production budget.
The Edgar Wright-directed adaptation of Stephen King’s dystopian novel marks Powell’s first significant box office stumble after a remarkable hot streak that included “Anyone But You,” “Top Gun: Maverick,” and “Twisters.” For Wright, it’s another setback following 2021’s “Last Night in Soho,” which opened during the Omicron surge.
“This thing is dead in the water,” said Jeff Bock, an analyst with Exhibitor Relations. “It doesn’t have enough traction to survive the coming holiday season.”
The film’s audience was 63% male and 70% between the ages of 18 and 44. Paramount had hoped for an opening north of $20 million, making the actual results particularly concerning. The project was greenlit and produced before David Ellison’s Skydance took control of Paramount in August, meaning the current leadership inherits this disappointment.
This marks the second attempt at adapting King’s novel, following the campy 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger version—a film that has its own cult following but bears little resemblance to Wright’s vision.
‘Predator: Badlands’ Takes a Hit
In its second weekend, 20th Century Studios’ “Predator: Badlands” dropped a steep 68% to $13 million, bringing its domestic total to $66.3 million. The $105 million production has earned $136.3 million globally—respectable numbers, though the sharp second-weekend decline suggests front-loaded interest from franchise fans rather than sustained audience enthusiasm.
Interestingly, the original “Predator” also starred Schwarzenegger and was released in 1987—the same year as the first “Running Man” adaptation—during the action star’s absolute peak.
Indie Horror Misfires
Neon’s “Keeper,” the latest from “Longlegs” writer-director Osgood Perkins, managed only $2.5 million for a seventh-place debut—a far cry from the $22 million opening of “Longlegs” or even the $14 million start for “The Monkey.” Critics savaged the film, and audiences agreed, awarding it a dismal “D+” CinemaScore grade.
The only silver lining is the film’s modest $6 million budget. Perkins will attempt to bounce back with next year’s “The Young People,” starring Tatiana Maslany and Nicole Kidman.
The Rest of the Top Five
Paramount’s “Regretting You,” adapted from Colleen Hoover’s novel, earned $4 million in its fourth weekend for a $44.9 million domestic total. Universal’s “The Black Phone 2” rounded out the top five with $2.6 million, pushing its domestic haul to $74.7 million after five weeks.
Milestone Watch: A Costly Critical Success
Warner Bros.’ “One Battle After Another” crossed $70 million domestically and $200 million globally after eight weeks—impressive for an R-rated adult thriller, except the Paul Thomas Anderson-directed, Leonardo DiCaprio-starring film cost $140 million to produce. With break-even estimated at roughly $300 million, the studio faces a significant write-down despite the film’s critical acclaim and Oscar buzz.
A Bright Spot for Lionsgate
The success of “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t” provides much-needed relief for Lionsgate, which has struggled with recent releases including “Ballerina” and “Good Fortune.” The studio hopes to build momentum with December’s “The Housemaid,” an adaptation of Freida McFadden’s bestselling thriller, and 2026 releases including the Michael Jackson biopic “Michael” and “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.”
Looking Ahead
The overall domestic box office reached just over $75 million, slightly ahead of the same weekend last year when “Red One” drove $73.2 million in earnings. All eyes now turn to next weekend’s release of “Wicked: For Good,” which theater owners hope will energize what has been one of the weakest fall seasons in recent memory. Universal primed audiences by re-releasing the original “Wicked,” which earned $1.2 million.
“We’re in the calm before the Thanksgiving storm,” Dergarabedian said. “Things are about to heat up.”
