This weekend brought a mix of fresh debuts and steady holdovers at the box office. New titles grabbed the spotlight while returning releases showed they still have something left in the tank.
Now You See Me: Now You Don’t Pulls Off a Flashy First Place Debut
Lionsgate’s Now You See Me: Now You Don’t landed on top; with a lively $21.3 million opening weekend in its first frame. Audiences clearly still enjoy this brand’s slick heist energy. The franchise may not be the cultural force it once was, but it still knows how to charm a crowd. The mix of magic tricks and ensemble antics remains an easy sell for casual moviegoers. The studio has to be pleased because this start gives the series room to build momentum as the weeks roll on.
Read our review of Now You See Me: Now You Don’t.
The Running Man Stumbles With a Much Softer Debut Than Expected
The Running Man arrived with only $17.0 million in its first week at the box office. Which is far below the $43 million expectation it had. This landing is a noticeable miss for a film that had been positioned as a major action event.The buzz simply did not convert the way the studio hoped. The marketing suggested a breakout, but audiences clearly were not as energized by it as projections implied. Its opening weekend creates a tougher uphill climb, and the next couple of weeks will reveal whether it can steady itself after this rocky start.
Read our review of The Running Man.
Predator: Badlands Holds Firm in Week Two
20th Century Studios’ Predator: Badlands brought in another $13.0 million during its second week. Which marks a solid follow up after its punchy debut. The film is performing exactly how you want a genre sequel to behave at the box office. The drop is reasonable and fans are sticking with it. Word of mouth around its intensity seems to be helping it avoid a steeper slide. Its current trajectory suggests this entry is shaping up to be one of the franchise’s steadier earners.
Read our review of Predator: Badlands.
Regretting You Continues Showing Its Staying Power
In its fourth week, Regretting You added another $4.0 million to its total, and its endurance speaks volumes about its connection with audiences. Dramas rarely keep their footing this long unless they strike a chord, and this one clearly has. Instead of flashy marketing or big spectacle, this film leans on emotion and consistent viewer support. Its ability to hold steady this deep into its run makes it one of the more quietly impressive performers on the slate.
Read our review of Regretting You.
Black Phone 2 Keeps Ringing in Audiences Through Week Five
Universal’s Black Phone 2 grabbed another $2.7 million in its fifth week, a sign that horror fans remain committed even as competition ramps up. Films in this genre often fall sharply by this point, so its steadiness is something of a win. The Blumhouse name continues to carry real weight with genre diehards; that reliability shows up clearly in the numbers. Its run is settling into a comfortable place where it no longer needs to prove anything at the box office.
Read our review of Black Phone 2.
Next Weekend’s Predictions
Sisu: Road To Revenge is tracking between $3 million and $6 million which gives it a modest but workable runway. I am calling it at $4.5 million since there is a real lack of competition aimed at viewers who want a straightforward action punch. This lane often rewards gritty genre pieces that show up at the right moment. That puts Sisu in a comfortable spot where it can carve out its own space without much pushback.
Wicked: For Good is eyeing a colossal launch in the $155 million to $185 million range, which signals a massive turnout is coming. A $165 million opening feels like the most grounded target because audiences are already locked in, even if early chatter suggests the sequel might not reach the same heights as the original. Big musicals do not need perfect reviews to explode out of the gate when the fanbase has already committed. This one is destined for first place and a huge opening frame no matter how the final buzz shakes out.
As always, we’ll check in next week.
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