Hold onto your seats, movie fans, because the box office just delivered a shocking upset! Against all odds, 'Now You See Me: Now You Don’t' has outpaced the highly anticipated 'The Running Man,' proving that magic—both on screen and in marketing—still captivates audiences. Lionsgate’s latest installment in the heist-meets-illusion franchise raked in $21.3 million domestically, leaving Paramount’s action-packed thriller trailing behind with $17 million, according to Sunday’s studio estimates. But here’s where it gets even more intriguing: despite a nearly decade-long gap since the last film, 'Now You See Me: Now You Don’t' managed to conjure up an estimated $75.5 million globally, including international ticket sales from 64 territories. And this is the part most people miss—its $90 million production budget looks like a smart bet now, especially with a fourth film already in the works.
Kevin Grayson, Lionsgate’s president of worldwide distribution, admitted the victory wasn’t a foregone conclusion. ‘Honestly, I didn’t see us being number one for the weekend about 10 days ago,’ he said. ‘But as ticket sales started to surge, it became clear we were in for a real horse race. By Saturday morning, we’d pulled ahead.’ Grayson credits not just the franchise’s loyal fanbase but also the savvy marketing and publicity strategies that positioned the film to dominate through the holiday season.
Directed by Ruben Fleischer, the film reunites the original ‘Four Horsemen’—Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, and Dave Franco—while introducing fresh faces like Dominic Sessa, Ariana Greenblatt, and Justice Smith. Critics on Rotten Tomatoes gave it a lukewarm 59%, but audiences were more enthusiastic, with 63% saying they’d definitely recommend it. Here’s the controversial part: could this be a case of nostalgia trumping novelty? Or is the ‘Now You See Me’ formula simply timeless?
Meanwhile, 'The Running Man,' Edgar Wright’s second adaptation of Stephen King’s 1982 novel, couldn’t quite match the magic. Starring Glen Powell—fresh off hits like ‘Anyone But You’ and ‘Twisters’—the film earned a respectable $28.2 million worldwide against a $110 million budget. But with a 58% audience recommendation rate and a smaller female audience (37% compared to 54% for 'Now You See Me'), it fell short of expectations. Is this a sign that audiences are growing weary of action reboots, or did 'The Running Man' simply miss the mark?
Rounding out the weekend, 'Keeper,' Oz Perkins’ third feature, stumbled with just $2.5 million and a D+ CinemaScore, though its acquisition by Neon softens the blow. 'Predator: Badlands' held strong in third place with $13 million, followed by 'Regretting You' ($4 million) and 'Black Phone 2' ($2.7 million). Universal’s re-release of 'Wicked' ahead of next week’s 'Wicked: For Good' earned $1.2 million, hinting at the musical’s potential dominance.
Looking ahead, Comscore’s Paul Dergarabedian predicts a blockbuster Thanksgiving, with 'Wicked 2' and 'Zootopia 2' poised to shatter records. ‘After a dismal October, the box office is finally heating up,’ he said. ‘It’s never too late to turn things around.’
So, what do you think? Did 'Now You See Me: Now You Don’t' deserve its top spot, or should 'The Running Man' have taken the crown? Let’s debate in the comments!
Here’s the weekend’s top 10 domestic box office breakdown:
1. 'Now You See Me: Now You Don’t,' $21.3 million
2. 'The Running Man,' $17 million
3. 'Predator: Badlands,' $13 million
4. 'Regretting You,' $4 million
5. 'Black Phone 2,' $2.7 million
6. 'Nuremberg,' $2.6 million
7. 'Keeper,' $2.5 million
8. 'Sarah's Oil,' $2.3 million
9. 'Bugonia' and 'Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc,' (tie) $1.6 million
And don’t forget—Glen Powell, fresh off 'The Running Man,' is set to host Saturday Night Live this weekend, joined by Grammy-nominated musical guest Olivia Dean. It’s shaping up to be an unforgettable episode!
