‘Now You See Me 3’ opens at No. 1 with $20M+, makes $2.1 million in previews
The third episode follows the Horsemen as they perform their most dangerous illusion yet and steal the Heart Apple, a major source of illicit money, in a high-risk magic performance. The film topped the box office, outperforming Predator: Land of Death, Chainsaw Man: Reze Edition and First Ride.
Ruben Fleischer’s Now You See Me 3 has earned the strongest reception of the Jesse Eisenberg-Woody Harrelson-Isla Fisher-Dave Franco trilogy, with a 60% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes and an 83% audience score according to Deadline. Its footprint on social media is also huge; reaches nearly 300 million followers across major platforms; That’s more than double the second film’s reach nine years ago.
Lionsgate’s previous biggest opening of the year came from John Wick spinoff Ballerina, which reached $24.5 million in June. Although it underperformed at the box office, it helped increase the overall value of the John Wick series.
Meanwhile, this weekend’s battle for second place is fiercely contested between Predator: Badlands, in its second week, and Paramount’s The Running Man, the Edgar Wright remake starring Glen Powell. According to Deadline, both films are grossing around $15 million; The Running Man earned $5.5 million on Friday, while Badlands earned $4 million from 3,725 locations.
