In a surprising turn of events at the cinema, the third instalment of the popular magician heist franchise, 'Now You See Me: Now You Don't', has stolen the top spot at the North American box office this weekend. The Lionsgate production raced past the highly anticipated new adaptation of Stephen King's 'The Running Man', demonstrating the enduring appeal of its magical antics.
A Magical Victory at the Box Office
According to studio estimates released on Sunday, 'Now You See Me: Now You Don't' conjured up an impressive $21.3 million in its opening weekend. This was enough to comfortably surpass the $17 million debut of Paramount's 'The Running Man'. The result was somewhat unexpected, as industry insiders had predicted a much closer race between the two new releases.
The latest 'Now You See Me' film, which reportedly cost $90 million to produce, arrives nearly a decade after its predecessor. Its global appeal remains strong, with ticket sales from 64 international territories contributing to a worldwide opening estimated at $75.5 million. This continues the successful run of the series, whose first two films, released in 2013 and 2016, earned over $686 million globally.
Franchise Power and Audience Reception
Directed by Ruben Fleischer, the film sees the return of the original 'Four Horsemen' – Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, and Dave Franco. They are joined by a new generation of magicians, played by Dominic Sessa, Ariana Greenblatt, and Justice Smith. With a fourth film already confirmed to be in development, the franchise shows no signs of disappearing.
Critical reception on Rotten Tomatoes was mixed, with a score of 59%. However, audiences were more enthusiastic. PostTrak polling indicated that 63% of viewers would definitely recommend the film, earning it a B+ CinemaScore. In comparison, 'The Running Man' garnered a 58% 'definitely recommend' score from audiences, also securing a B+ CinemaScore. A key demographic difference emerged, with women making up 54% of the 'Now You See Me' audience, compared to just 37% for 'The Running Man'.
The Wider Box Office Landscape
Edgar Wright directed and co-wrote the new version of 'The Running Man', which is the second adaptation of Stephen King's 1982 novel. The first, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1987, received mixed reviews and had a tepid box office performance, earning only $38 million. The new iteration stars Glen Powell, who has recently built a strong track record with hits like 'Anyone But You' and 'Twisters'. Released in 3,400 domestic locations and 58 international markets, the film has earned a worldwide total of $28.2 million against a reported $110 million budget.
Further down the chart, the weekend's other new opener, Neon's horror film 'Keeper', had a disappointing debut with just $2.6 million and a D+ CinemaScore. 'Predator: Badlands' took third place with $13 million in its second weekend, followed by 'Regretting You' in fourth with $4 million. 'Black Phone 2' rounded out the top five, adding $2.7 million to its domestic total, which now stands at $74.7 million.
In anticipation of next week's big-budget release, Universal re-released 'Wicked' in 2,195 theaters, where it earned $1.2 million. The box office is expected to see a significant boost with the upcoming releases of 'Wicked: For Good' and 'Zootopia 2' ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. Paul Dergarabedian of Comscore suggested it could be one of the highest-grossing five-day Thanksgiving frames in cinema history.
