Magic Tricks Beat Action Thrillers at the Box Office
The weekend saw a surprising turn of events at the box office. "Now You See Me: Now You Don't" outshone both "The Running Man" and "Predator: Badlands." It raked in:
- $21.3 million domestically
- $54.2 million internationally
- $75.5 million worldwide
This is a significant achievement for a franchise that has been on hiatus since 2016.
Underwhelming Performances
"The Running Man"
- $17 million domestically
- $11.2 million internationally
Despite its star-studded cast and high budget, the film underperformed. Its demographic was predominantly male and aged between 18 and 44, contrasting with the diverse audience of "Now You See Me: Now You Don't."
"Predator: Badlands"
- 68% drop in its second weekend
- $13 million domestically
- $136.3 million globally
Despite a high production cost of $105 million, the film has struggled to break even.
Indie Horror Struggles
"Keeper," an indie horror film, had a dismal debut, earning just $2.5 million. This is a far cry from the success of writer-director Osgood Perkins' previous films, "Longlegs" and "The Monkey." The film's poor performance can be attributed to negative reviews from both critics and audiences.
Other Notable Mentions
"Regretting You"
- $4 million in its fourth weekend
- $44.9 million domestic total
"The Black Phone 2"
- $2.6 million in its fifth weekend
- $74.7 million domestic total
"One Battle After Another"
- $70 million domestically
- $200 million globally
Despite critical acclaim and Oscar buzz, the film is unlikely to break even given its high production cost of $140 million.
Overall Box Office
The domestic box office topped out at just over $75 million, slightly ahead of the same period last year. Next weekend brings "Wicked: For Good," giving theater owners renewed hope after a challenging fall season. Universal re-released "Wicked," bringing in $1.2 million to prime the pump for the upcoming holiday season.
