‘Now You See Me: Now You Don’t’ Projected to Open No. 1 with $21M-$24M
Lionsgate‘s Now You see Me: Now You don’t is tracking for a domestic opening of $21 million to $24 million, positioning it for the No. 1 spot at the box office this weekend. The film is aiming for broad appeal, targeting both date night audiences and families, a strategy reflected in its PG-13 rating-a contrast to the R-rating of competitor Running Man.
the third installment in the Now You See Me franchise carries significant financial weight, having cost over $90 million in production costs before marketing and distribution expenses (P&A).Lionsgate, known for licensing foreign rights to fund its productions, will be closely watching international performance, as the previous two films generated 67% to 80% of their global box office revenue abroad.
In comparison, previews for Running Man are aligning with those of Neon’s The Monkey, which grossed $1.9 million in previews before reaching $5.8 million on its opening Friday and a $14 million three-day total. Running Man‘s previews fall considerably below those of Tron: Ares,which debuted last month with a $14.4 million Friday and a $33.2 million three-day opening.
The original Running Man, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, opened to $8.1 million (unadjusted for inflation) in the same mid-November slot in 1987, ultimately grossing $38.1 million domestically from a $27 million production budget and receiving a B+ CinemaScore. It held the No.1 position for two weekends before being overtaken by Disney/touchstone’s Three Men and a Baby during the Thanksgiving holiday.
Despite the competitive landscape, industry analysts emphasize that box office success is a marathon, not a sprint, particularly with the Thanksgiving holiday approaching in two weeks. Meanwhile, 20th Century Studios’ Predator: Badlands earned an estimated $1.7 million yesterday (down 26% from Wednesday) for a first-week total of $53.2 million and is expected to decline 60% in its second weekend,typical for the genre.
