Lionsgate’s Den of Thieves 2: Pantera topped a subdued box office weekend, debuting with $15.5 million. The sequel to the 2018 Gerard Butler-led heist thriller matched its predecessor’s opening ($15.2 million) and became Lionsgate’s first No. 1 opener since The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes in November 2023. Co-starring O’Shea Jackson Jr., the film, produced for $40 million, garnered a “B+” CinemaScore but middling reviews (58% on Rotten Tomatoes).
Wildfires Affect Theaters
The ongoing Los Angeles wildfires, which caused the closure of approximately 10 theaters in the area, affected the box office, particularly in the country’s top film market. Despite the challenges, Den of Thieves 2 led a weekend defined by holdovers and a few underwhelming new releases.
Mixed Performances from New Releases
Paramount’s Better Man, a $110 million biopic about Robbie Williams featuring a CGI chimpanzee in the lead role, struggled with a meager $1.1 million from 1,291 theaters. By contrast, The Last Showgirl, starring Pamela Anderson, expanded to 870 theaters and collected $1.5 million.
Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist, buoyed by its Golden Globes win for best drama, delivered a strong performance with $1.4 million from just 68 locations.
Top Holiday Holdovers
Holdover releases continued to dominate the box office:
- Barry Jenkins’ Mufasa: The Lion King added $13.2 million in its fourth week, bringing its global total to $539.7 million.
- Sonic the Hedgehog 3 grossed $11 million, padding its worldwide tally to $384.8 million.
- Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu brought in $6.8 million, climbing to $81.1 million domestically.
- Disney’s Moana 2, in its seventh week, added $6.5 million, pushing its global total to $989.8 million, making it the third Disney film of 2024 to approach the $1 billion milestone.
Weekend’s Box Office Estimates (Fri-Sun):
- Den of Thieves 2: Pantera – $15.5 million
- Mufasa: The Lion King – $13.2 million
- Sonic the Hedgehog 3 – $11 million
- Nosferatu – $6.8 million
- Moana 2 – $6.5 million
- A Complete Unknown – $5 million
- Wicked – $5 million
- Babygirl – $3.1 million
- Game Changer – $1.9 million
- The Last Showgirl – $1.5 million
With several high-profile releases still dominating, the weekend underscored Hollywood’s ability to draw audiences even amid local challenges. Final box office figures are expected Monday.
