Now You See Me 3 Casts a Spell with $8.4 Million Opening Day Box Office—The Running Man Follows in Second

The “Now You See Me” franchise is making waves once again. Its latest film, “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t,” debuted strongly, topping the box office ahead of other new releases.

In its opening weekend, the movie pulled in $8.4 million from Friday and previews across 3,403 theaters. Estimates suggest it could gross between $21 million and $24 million over three days. This mirrors the success of the previous installment, which opened at $22 million in 2016.

Critics haven’t raved about this sequel, but it holds the best reviews of the trilogy. Cinema Score gives it a “B+,” which, while positive, is not quite as high as the “A-” scores for the earlier films. With a budget over $90 million, Lionsgate aims to make this revival worth it. Directed by Ruben Fleischer, the film features returning stars like Jesse Eisenberg and Woody Harrelson, who embody charming illusionists. Interestingly, previous films often earned more from international markets, as Lionsgate usually sells off those rights to limit financial risk.

On the competition front, Paramount’s “The Running Man,” starring Glen Powell, is projected to take second place. It earned $6.4 million from 3,534 theaters this weekend but now might bring in about $17 million to $19 million, well below earlier expectations of $20 million.

This Stephen King adaptation, costing $110 million, started off with mixed reviews. It has also received a B+ from Cinema Score. With heavy hitters like “Wicked: For Good” and “Zootopia 2” set to release soon, “The Running Man” may struggle to gain traction.

Another newcomer, Neon’s indie horror “Keeper,” brought in about $1 million from almost 2,000 locations. This performance is underwhelming compared to the success of the director’s earlier films, like “Longlegs,” which made $22 million last summer.

Meanwhile, Disney’s “Predator: Badlands” collected $3.5 million on its second Friday, marking a 68% drop from its debut. Its domestic total has reached $56 million, and it’s aiming to surpass “Alien vs. Predator,” which is the franchise’s biggest hit with $80.2 million.

Lastly, “Regretting You” is expected to round out the top five with a projected $4 million this weekend. Based on a popular Colleen Hoover novel, it has enjoyed strong audience support, bringing its total to $45 million.

As audiences navigate this crowded market, it’s evident that the coming weeks will shape the success of these films. With varying initial responses, we’ll see how well they manage to maintain momentum.



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Now You See Me: Now You Don't,Predator: Badlands,The Running Man