Now You See Me 3 Opens Strong With $8.4M, Tops Weekend Box Office

Lionsgate’s Now You See Me 3 cast a spell over the box office, earning $8.4 million on opening day across 3,403 locations. The PG-13 sequel, starring Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, and Dave Franco, is projected to reach $21–24 million over the three-day weekend. Paramount’s The Running Man experienced a slower start with $6.4 million, while indie horror Keeper debuted at $1 million. Analysts note that Now You See Me 3 performed in line with pre-weekend projections and closely matches the franchise’s previous opening in 2016.

Main Box Office Performance

• Now You See Me 3: $8.4M Friday, previews; three-day estimate: $21–24M

• The Running Man: $6.4M Friday, previews; three-day estimate: $17–19M

• Keeper: $1M Friday, previews; projected five-day opening modest

• Predator: Badlands: $3.5M Friday (second Friday), down 68%

• Regretting You: $1.2M Friday, projecting $4M for fourth weekend

The trilogy’s latest installment, directed by Ruben Fleischer, had a $90M production budget. Critics rated it the best-reviewed in the franchise, though audiences gave it a “B+” CinemaScore grade. International revenue remains key, as prior entries earned a majority of grosses overseas.

Critical Reactions & Audience Response

• “The audience reaction has been largely positive despite mediocre critical reviews,” stated a Lionsgate spokesperson.

• Director Ruben Fleischer noted the franchise revival posed both a creative and commercial challenge: “We aimed to keep the magic alive while introducing fresh surprises.”

• CinemaScore reported that The Running Man audiences also rated it a “B+,” yet lower opening numbers indicate weaker pre-release buzz.

• Indie director Osgood Perkins received a lukewarm response for Keeper, with a D+ CinemaScore reflecting mixed horror audience engagement.

Weekend Box Office Impact Analysis

Now You See Me 3’s strong opening establishes it as the weekend box office leader, signaling stability for Lionsgate in franchise revivals. The Running Man may face difficulty competing with high-profile November releases like Wicked: For Good and Zootopia 2. International sales will remain key for overall profitability. Additionally, the weekend highlights the challenge for indie horror releases, as Keeper underperformed compared to previous Osgood Perkins projects. Predator: Badlands maintains momentum despite the 68% drop, on track to surpass prior franchise domestic totals.

What’s Next for the Box Office

• Now You See Me 3 continues screenings through the weekend with projections of $21–24M three-day gross.

• The Running Man aims to stabilize with marketing efforts but may finish below expectations.

• Keeper and other indie titles face steep competition from high-profile releases.

• Upcoming blockbusters like Zootopia 2 and Wicked: For Good will influence box office rankings in the following weeks.