Now You See Me 3 Beats ‘Running Man’ in Shocking Twist — Here’s What Happened

Now You See Me 3 pulled off an unexpected box office triumph this weekend, overtaking Paramount’s The Running Man in a competitive domestic race. The Lionsgate threequel opened stronger than projections, bringing in an estimated $21–$24 million across 3,403 theaters in North America. Industry watchers expected Running Man to lead, but revised studio estimates now show the film trailing significantly. Strong audience turnout — especially among female viewers — helped Now You See Me 3 outperform expectations. The surprise victory marks a major comeback for the long-dormant franchise.

Key Box Office Details

Lionsgate’s Now You See Me 3, directed by Ruben Fleischer, topped Friday’s charts with $8.4 million, positioning the film for a weekend haul near $22 million. Rival studio trackers confirmed the threequel outpaced forecasts, originally set near $19 million.

The franchise reunites stars Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, and Isla Fisher as the Four Horsemen. They’re joined by a new generation of young magicians played by Justice Smith, Ariana Greenblatt, and Dominic Sessa.

Meanwhile, Paramount’s The Running Man, led by Glen Powell and directed by Edgar Wright, stumbled with a projected $16–$19 million opening. The film initially tracked above $24 million but fell sharply after a lower-than-expected Friday total of $6.4 million.

Female audiences — who made up 54% of ticket buyers — significantly boosted Now You See Me 3, while Running Man skewed heavily male at 64%, putting it in direct competition with holdover action title Predator: Badlands.

Early Reactions & Industry Commentary

Exit polls show solid audience reception for Now You See Me 3, earning a B+ CinemaScore and 80% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Analysts note that these results helped cushion the film against its mixed critical reviews.

A box office analyst from a rival studio noted,

“The gender split absolutely made the difference. Now You See Me 3 appealed to a broader audience at a critical moment.”

Another top industry observer added,

“Glen Powell has been on a streak, but this is his first box office miss in years. The competition was simply better positioned.”

Wright’s adaptation of Stephen King’s dystopian novel marks the story’s second theatrical retelling after the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger version.

Weekend Impact & Market Position

The strong opening for Now You See Me 3 places Lionsgate in a favorable spot heading into the holiday corridor. The film’s performance signals renewed interest in the magician-heist series after years of inactivity.

In contrast, The Running Man now faces downward pressure, especially following two consecutive weekends of strong competition in the action genre. With similar exit scores to Now You See Me 3 but a narrower demographic reach, the film will rely on international markets to stabilize totals.

Neon’s Keeper suffered one of the weaker openings of the weekend, projected at $2.6 million, weighed down by a D+ CinemaScore and poor early audience reactions.

What’s Next

Now You See Me 3 is expected to hold well through next weekend thanks to positive word-of-mouth and minimal direct competition in the heist-thriller segment.

Running Man will attempt to recover with expanded marketing pushes and overseas rollout. Final box office numbers will be updated Monday.