‘The Running Man’ Struggles at Box Office as ‘Now You See Me 3’ Takes the Lead
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Paramount’s high-profile reboot of The Running Man underperformed in its opening weekend, earning $17 million domestically, according to studio estimates. AP News+1
That’s a steep drop when compared to its reported $110 million budget, and pales in contrast to the weekend’s real winner — Now You See Me: Now You Don’t, which pulled in approximately $21.3 million. AP News+1
Why It Fell Short
- Audience Split: According to PostTrak polling, only 58% of audiences said they would “definitely recommend” The Running Man, versus a stronger response for the competition. AP News
- High Stakes, High Risk: The reboot, directed by Edgar Wright and starring Glen Powell, is a dystopian action film adapted from Stephen King’s novel. Wikipedia
- Production Costs: With a $110M price tag, the film needed a bigger opening to start recouping its investment. The Numbers
- Critical vs. Audience Reception: Critics have been mixed, but audience reactions lean more positive. Collider+1
A Glimmer of Hope
- Despite the underwhelming debut, the film’s B+ CinemaScore suggests that word-of-mouth could still give it a fighting chance. Collider
- If interest holds, international markets and post-theatrical sales (digital, streaming) could help it recover some of the gap.
