The Perfect Heist: 'Now You See Me 3' Made Off with This Weekend's #1 Spot | Weekend of November 14, 2025

The third installment of the crime-heist franchise, Now You See Me: Now You Don’t opened strong this weekend with 28% of admissions and 29% of box office dollars.  

Ariana Greenblatt (Barbie), Dominic Sessa (The Holdovers) and Justice Smith (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) help make movie magic alongside a headlining cast led by Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, and Dave Franco.

Although the heist genre often sees diminishing returns by the 3rd installment — Ocean’s Thirteen comes to mind — the franchise’s brand equity remains solid even amid a crowded fall slate.

The Chase Is On: Glen Powell's The Running Man Sprints into Theaters

The action-remake of the 1982 Stephen King novel set in 2025 hits close to home this year. In a near-future dystopian America, a corporation called the Network has effectively turned the country into a reality TV show with a deadly elimination game called “The Running Man.”  

The New York Times calls Powell “nothing if not pleasant to look at,” with a naturalness “that makes it easy to like him and root for his characters.”  

Though it didn’t match the highs of other recent action-remake performances, it’s still a good opening for a Stephen King adaptation, especially one reviving a less mainstream title.  

The last new title in the top 10 is Keeper, a low-budget horror entry from director Osgood Perkins. Made for just $8M, it’s well-positioned to recoup its costs through theaters and downstream platforms even in the face of poor reviews.  

Still, this is a noticeable stumble for Perkins, whose credibility has risen sharply following the success of The Monkey earlier this year and the cult acclaim of Longlegs in 2024. Horror has been one of the most reliable genres in 2024–2025, but this one looks like it may not find its footing.

We now move into the most consequential stretch of the year: the holiday stretch when blockbusters, family titles, and awards hopefuls all converge.

Defying Expectations: Wicked: For Good and the Season's Most Anticipated Sequels Take Flight

As early reviews for this upcoming weekend’s headliner, Wicked: For Good, file in, theaters are reporting widespread sellouts for opening weekend.  

The second installment is projected to open as high as $155M, easily surpassing last year’s $112M debut for Part One and reaffirming the franchise as one of Universal’s crown jewels.  

Critics are praising the expanded emotional depth and especially the evolution of the Elphaba–Glinda relationship. As audiences gear up for the opening, Wicked: Part One, drew in over 100K tickets sold last weekend, securing 2% of last week’s box office despite availability on streaming platforms. (Musicals just hit different in the live-cinema experience, as previously evidenced by the success of KPop Demon Hunters post-Netflix theatrical stint.)

Hamnet, adapted from the acclaimed 2020 novel by Maggie O’Farrell, offers prestige-driven counterprogramming. The film follows the relationship between Agnes (Jessie Buckley) and William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal), and the impact of the tragic death of their 11-year-old son Hamnet on their lives.  

Early reviews position it as a top-tier awards contender, with strong expectations for nominations in Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actress (Jessie Buckley), Best Director, and several craft categories.  

Let's not forget Zootopia 2, the holiday’s marquee family film, with Andy Samberg, Macaulay Culkin, Brenda Song, and David Stratharin joining the menagerie as the Lynxley family. Young audiences (and their parents) are doubtlessly excited for this follow-up to the original’s unique take on animated noir.  

Given Disney’s proven track record with Thanksgiving animation releases, it’s no surprise advance sales are robust. Family titles historically dominate the holiday period, and Zootopia 2 is widely expected to be one of the season’s biggest earners. The new film’s villain, Gary De’Snake, better watch out.

Avatar: Fire & Ash Heats Up the Winter Box Office Forecast

Looking further into December, the marketplace becomes even more diverse, offering something for every audience segment. Major titles to watch include:

• Avatar: Fire & Ash: The third film in James Cameron’s award-winning franchise is poised to become one of the year’s biggest global releases. Early tracking signals a massive turnout driven by a strong international base and renewed 3D/IMAX footprint. Be sure to budget for bathroom breaks during this three hour and twelve-minute epic.  

• Anaconda: The creature-feature revival continues with this comedy/horror in which Paul Rudd and Jack Black remake the original 1997 film. It’s oh so meta.  

• Five Nights at Freddy’s 2: Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Lail, Piper Rubio, and Matthew Lillard reprise their roles in this supernatural horror, following the surprise breakout of the first film. We expect strong teen and young-adult turnout as Abby Schmidt sneaks out to reconnect with her animatronic friends, leading to events that reveal the true origin of Freddy Fazbear's Pizza.  

• The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants: Hoping to prove his bravery to Mr. Krabs, SpongeBob follows a mysterious, swashbuckling ghost pirate known as the Flying Dutchman on a seafaring adventure that takes him to the deepest depths of the ocean. A reliable family and nostalgia performer if we’ve ever seen one.  

• The Housemaid: The adaption of Frieda McFadden’s eponymous novel debuts December 19, starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried. From director Paul Feig, this psychological thriller hopes to capture the same mass appeal the book did.  

December’s sheer variety, combined with several heavy hitters, makes this one of the strongest year-end slates in recent memory, and one that could significantly shape the final box office tally for 2025.

Year to date, the box office sits at $7.2B, which represents a 3% gain over last year at this time.  While 4th Quarter 2025 is a tick below where 4th Quarter 2024 was at this point in time, all indications point to a strong remainder of the quarter.

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