Imagine a weekend where illusionists pull off a real-life heist at the box office, leaving high-octane action in the dust—talk about a plot twist that leaves audiences spellbound! But here's where it gets controversial: is this a sign that tried-and-true franchises are making a comeback, or just a fluke amid Hollywood's rollercoaster ride of hits and misses? Let's dive into the numbers and unpack what happened, breaking it down step by step for anyone new to the film industry buzz.
The latest installment in the 'Now You See Me' series, cleverly titled 'Now You See Me: Now You Don’t,' performed a dazzling feat by outshining Glen Powell's high-stakes thriller 'The Running Man' and even eclipsing the second weekend of 'Predator: Badlands,' that beloved reimagining of the iconic monster saga. This third film in the franchise raked in an impressive $21.3 million over the weekend, proving its staying power despite a seven-year gap since the last entry in 2016. It didn't stop there—internationally, it captured $54.2 million from 64 markets, boosting its global earnings to a tidy $75.5 million. For Lionsgate, the studio that poured $90 million into this magical adventure, this is a breath of fresh air after a string of disappointments like the underperforming 'Ballerina' and 'Good Fortune.' It might signal a turning point, especially with upcoming releases such as 'The Housemaid,' based on Freida McFadden's blockbuster novel, slated for December theaters, plus the Michael Jackson biopic 'Michael' and 'The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping' in 2026. Director Ruben Fleischer, known for blockbusters like 'Venom' and 'Zombieland,' helmed this one, reuniting stars Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, and Dave Franco as a band of tricksters exposing the corrupt elite. And guess what? A fourth movie is already brewing, keeping the magic alive.
'This franchise is far from done,' notes Paul Dergarabedian, the head of marketplace trends at ComScore. 'The overseas crowds really turned out in droves for it.'
On the flip side, 'The Running Man,' teaming Powell with visionary filmmaker Edgar Wright, couldn't keep up, landing in second place with a disappointing $17 million. Abroad, it pulled in $11.2 million, totaling $28.2 million worldwide—troubling figures given Paramount's $110 million investment. This marks Powell's first misstep after successes like the rom-com 'Anyone But You,' 'Top Gun: Maverick,' and 'Twisters.' It's also rough for Wright, who needed a win following 'Last Night in Soho's' unlucky 2021 release during the Omicron wave. Paramount had pinned hopes on a $20 million-plus opening, but the film was conceived and shot before David Ellison's Skydance took the reins in August.
'This project is sinking fast,' warns Jeff Bock, an analyst at Exhibitor Relations. 'It lacks the momentum to endure the upcoming holiday rush.'
These two big releases targeted distinct crowds: 'The Running Man's' viewership skewed 63% male and 70% aged 18-44, while 'Now You See Me: Now You Don’t' drew 54% female and 65% over 25. For context, beginners might not know that 'The Running Man' is the second stab at Stephen King's dystopian tale—the original was a goofy 1987 flick starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. And speaking of Schwarzenegger, he ties into 'Predator: Badlands,' having led the 1987 monster classic during his peak action days. In its second weekend, 'Predator: Badlands' plummeted 68% to $13 million, pushing 20th Century Studios' domestic tally to $66.3 million. With a $105 million budget, it's hit $136.3 million globally so far.
Another new entry, Neon's 'Keeper,' the horror flick from writer-director Osgood Perkins, barely scraped by with $2.5 million in its debut, finishing seventh. This pales in comparison to his past outings like 'Longlegs' ($22 million) and 'The Monkey' ($14 million) in their opening frames. Critics panned it, and viewers gave it a 'D+' rating, suggesting poor buzz. Luckily, it was made on a shoestring $6 million budget. Perkins aims to bounce back with 'The Young People' next year, featuring Tatiana Maslany and Nicole Kidman.
Paramount's 'Regretting You,' adapted from Colleen Hoover's novel, clung to fourth spot in its fourth week with $4 million, reaching $44.9 million domestically. Universal's 'The Black Phone 2' wrapped up the top five, adding $2.6 million to its $74.7 million U.S. total after five weeks.
In exciting milestone news, 'One Battle After Another' surged past $70 million domestically and $200 million worldwide after eight weeks. For an R-rated thriller aimed at adults, that's commendable, but Warner Bros. spent $140 million on director Paul Thomas Anderson and star Leonardo DiCaprio's vision. Critics hailed it as a masterpiece with Oscar potential, yet to break even, it needs about $300 million—otherwise, the studio faces a hefty loss. And this is the part most people miss: does artistic acclaim justify massive budgets when box office gold is elusive? It's a hot topic sparking debate in the industry.
Wrapping up, domestic ticket sales hit just over $75 million this weekend, edging out last year's $73.2 million, boosted by Dwayne Johnson's holiday romp 'Red One.' Looking ahead, next week's 'Wicked: For Good' promises to inject some holiday cheer into theaters battered by one of the worst falls on record. To build anticipation, Universal's re-release of 'Wicked' earned $1.2 million.
'We're just in the eye of the storm before Thanksgiving mania hits,' Dergarabedian observes. 'Get ready for the excitement to ramp up.'
What are your thoughts on these box office shenanigans? Do you believe sequels like 'Now You See Me' deserve more love, or is Hollywood wasting money on risky bets? And should high-profile flops like 'The Running Man' change how studios greenlight projects? Share your opinions in the comments—let's hear if you're team magic or team action!
