With “Den of Thieves 2: Pantera” opening at the top of the domestic box office and earning an estimated $15.5 million in its opening weekend, Lionsgate scored a major win. This is the studio’s first number-one debut since “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes” in November 2023.
The crime movie features Gerard Butler and O’Shea Jackson Jr. It was shown in 3,008 theaters and had mostly male viewers, who accounted for 63% of the tickets sold. According to PostTrak data, 82% of the crowd was over 25. This opening weekend did a little better than the one in 2018, which made $15.2 million and ended up with a total of $44.9 million domestic.
Lionsgate has had a difficult 2024 with disappointing releases like “Borderlands” and “The Crow,” so the successful start is a much-needed boost. With a $40 million production budget, “Den of Thieves 2” needs to keep up its momentum to make a profit, but its early results point to promising commercial prospects.
After four weeks, Disney’s “Mufasa: The Lion King” made $13.2 million in its second place, bringing its domestic total to $188.8 million. The film has done better than expected and has earned $539.7 million internationally.
“Sonic the Hedgehog 3” did well again, earning another $11 million and third place. Its domestic total now is over $200 million, making it the most successful movie in the video game adaptation series.
“Nosferatu” by Robert Eggers remained in fourth place, earning $6.8 million and bringing its domestic total to $81.8 million. With $53.9 million in foreign earnings, the film has become Eggers’ most successful internationally. Rounding out the top five, Disney’s “Moana 2” added $6.5 million, pushing its total to $434.9 million over seven weeks.
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Some new releases didn’t do well. Despite favorable reviews, Paramount’s biopic “Better Man,” about Robbie Williams, struggled in its expansion, earning only $1.1 million in 1,291 theaters. After Paramount paid $25 million to acquire the North American rights, the film, which follows the singer’s rise from Take That member to solo success, will have trouble making back its $110 million budget.
With several high-profile releases shortly, Lionsgate hopes to maintain its current momentum. These releases include “Ballerina,” a John Wick series spinoff starring Ana de Armas, and a Michael Jackson biopic.
