"Pantera, " the crime sequel from Lionsgate, grabbed the number one spot on its opening weekend. It raked in about $5. 8 million from 3, 008 theaters on the first day. This is slightly ahead of the first "Den of Thieves" movie, which opened with $5. 6 million in January 2018. It's also Lionsgate's first top opening since "The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes" in November 2023.

The sequel, with a $40 million budget, is hoping to draw steady crowds during the usually slow month of January. Reviews are mixed but better than the first film. Early viewers gave it a B+ on CinemaScore. Director Christian Gudegast returned, with Gerard Butler reprising his role as Big Nick, now chasing heist mastermind Donnie (O’Shea Jackson Jr. ) in Europe.

Other movies didn't perform as well. The Robbie Williams biopic "Better Man, " expanding to 1, 291 theaters, only made $580, 000 on its opening day. Wildfires in Los Angeles closed some theaters, affecting moviegoing in that big market.

"Mufasa: The Lion King" is expected to come in second, adding $12. 1 million in its fourth week. It's close to surpassing "Kung Fu Panda 4" and "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" in total North American earnings for 2024. "Sonic the Hedgehog 3" is also doing well, projecting to hit $200 million domestically. "Nosferatu" continues its horror success, and "Moana 2" is wrapping up a successful run with $430 million.

Pantera Kicks Off on Top

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