Box Office Update: 'Now You See Me: Now You Don't' Dominates, 'The Running Man' Struggles, and 'Predator: Badlands' Holds Strong
The box office is heating up as Lionsgate's "Now You See Me: Now You Don't" takes the top spot with a $21.3 million opening weekend, marking Lionsgate's first No. 1 since January. The film, with a reported $90 million budget, features an ensemble cast led by Woody Harrelson and Jesse Eisenberg and has received mixed reviews from critics. Despite facing competition from upcoming releases like "Wicked: For Good" and "Zootopia 2," the film aims to match the success of Lionsgate's "Ballerina."
On the other hand, Paramount's "The Running Man" falls short of expectations with a $17 million domestic launch, just above the opening of the cheaper comedy "The Naked Gun." With a reported $110 million budget, the film starring Glen Powell offers a lighter take on Stephen King's dystopian novel but faces tough competition from other releases targeting a similar audience. Despite decent reception, "The Running Man" struggles to meet projected numbers.
Meanwhile, "Predator: Badlands" experiences a significant drop in its second weekend, bringing its total to $66.3 million domestic and $136 million worldwide. While the PG-13 action-adventure film aims to expand the fanbase of the 80s sci-fi franchise, it is expected to surpass the global run of "The Predator" in 2018 and break even theatrically. Stay tuned for more updates on the box office performance of these films.