Lionsgate’s heist thriller “Den of Thieves 2: Pantera” stole the field workplace crown, debuting at No. 1 with $15.5 million from 3,008 North American theaters.

The sequel to 2018’s “Den of Thieves” opened on the upper finish of expectations and landed about even with its predecessor’s $15.2 million launch. The primary movie additionally opened in January and powered to $80 million globally by the top of its theatrical run. The second installment wants a fair higher show of endurance as a result of it carries a $40 million manufacturing finances. Moviegoers preferred the movie greater than critics; “Den of Thieves 2” earned a “B+” grade on CinemaScore and 58% on Rotten Tomatoes. Gerard Butler stars as Large Nick, a gritty Los Angeles police officer who’s now on the hunt in Europe to trace down ex-marine-turned-robber Donnie (O’Shea Jackson Jr.) who’s plotting an enormous diamond heist.

“These motion pictures are made for audiences, not critics,” says David A. Gross, who runs the film consulting agency Franchise Leisure Analysis. “Gerard Butler is a longtime motion star, and this type of good-guys-versus-bad-guys materials performs properly world wide. Overseas enterprise needs to be stable.”

Although Lionsgate often mitigates threat by promoting overseas rights to its theatrical titles, the corporate hopes “Den of Thieves 2” alerts a rebound in massive display fortunes. In 2023, the studio suffered an unprecedented shedding streak of seven consecutive flops as moviegoers rejected choices like “Boderlands” online game adaptation, “The Crow” reboot and Halle Berry thriller “By no means Let Go.” Lionsgate’s 2025 slate appears to be like stronger with business choices equivalent to “John Wick” spinoff “Ballerina,” “Noticed XI” and Michael Jackson biopic “Michael” on the calendar.

One other newcomer, Paramount’s musical biopic “Higher Man,” wherein a CGI monkey portrays the British singer Robbie Williams, hit all of the fallacious notes with a paltry $1 million from 1,291 venues, albeit a smaller display depend than the common nationwide launch. The movie, directed by “The Best Showman’s” Michael Gracey, captures the rise of the best-selling native artist by means of the lens of a chimp as a result of, as Williams places it, he all the time felt “much less advanced than different individuals.” Even throughout the Pond, the place Williams is extra well-known than he’s within the States, “Higher Man” tanked with $1.9 million to start out and $4.7 million up to now. These ticket gross sales aren’t a great signal for business prospects, though “Higher Man” has been properly reviewed.

“Higher Man” was produced independently for roughly $110 million and bought by Paramount for $25 million. Musical biopics have been on the upswing, with movies about Amy Winehouse, Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, Whitney Houston and Bob Dylan in theaters in simply the previous three years, however some (“Again to Black” was one other misfire) are destined to sing off key on the field workplace.

“Robbie Williams performed by a digitally animated chimpanzee [is] an outlandish alternative. For anybody complaining that the trade performs it too protected, that is your film,” says Gross. “The chance-taking is great, however $110 million is just not practical for the style and for this musical artist. $25 to $30 million would have made extra sense.”

“Higher Man” opened in 14th place, method behind specialty releases that have been taking part in in far fewer areas. A24’s “The Brutalist,” a historic epic that clocks in at three-hour-30-minute movie (together with an intermission), for instance, earned a powerful $1.38 million from simply 68 screens. Final weekend, “The Brutalist” received Golden Globes for finest drama, finest director for Brady Corbet and finest actor for Adrien Brody, who portrays fictional architect László Tóth, who immigrates to america after the Holocaust to start out a brand new life. The Oscar contender will broaden right into a restricted nationwide footprint subsequent weekend, with a wider enlargement (together with Imax screens) set for Jan. 24.

Total, this weekend was predictably quiet for moviegoing, although it could have been softer than anticipated as devastating wildfires continued to ravage although elements of Los Angeles, one of many greatest theatrical markets within the nation.

In second place, Disney’s “Mufasa” collected $13.5 million from 3,620 venues in its fourth weekend of launch. After a rocky begin, the $200 million-budgeted “Lion King” prequel has rebounded properly with $189 million domestically and $540 million worldwide up to now.

Fellow Christmas launch, Paramount’s “Sonic the Hedgehog 3,” took the No. 3 spot with $11 million from 3,582 theaters. The threequel a couple of blue, anthropomorphic speedster has crossed the $200 million mark domestically with $204 million thus far, and $350 million globally.

Extra to come back…