Despite early estimates indicating that The Running Man would get off to a fairly strong start when it raced into theaters on Friday, Edgar Wright's adaptation of Stephen King's dystopian novel has come in below expectations to take the No. 2 spot at the domestic box office.
The R-rated sci-fi action thriller took in $6.4 million across Friday and preview screenings, putting it on track to make between $17 million and $19 million over the weekend. Not the worst start in the world, by any means, but it is worth noting that the movie is believed to have a production budget of around $110 million.
Initial reactions to the movie were highly positive (what else is new?), but full reviews were more mixed, and The Running Man is currently sitting at 64% on Rotten Tomatoes.
The movie's Critics Consensus reads: "Spiritedly sprinting through grim source material, Edgar Wright's The Running Man doesn't live up to the director's high bar for inventive action extravaganzas but maintains a slick stride."
Lionsgate's Now You See Me: Now You Don't came in at No. 1 with $8.4 million across Friday and preview screenings from 3,403 locations, and looks set to conjure a three-day opening between of $21 million and $24 million. Predator: Badlands dropped to third place with $3.5 million on its second Friday, and should reach $66 million domestically this weekend.
Osgood Perkins' latest horror movie, Keeper, made just $1 million from 1,950 locations across Friday and previews, and looks set for fifth place behind Regretting You. Reviews have been mixed-negative, and the film has been hit with an abysmal “D+” CinemaScore grade.
Do you plan on seeing any of these movies on the big screen this weekend?
"In a near-future society, The Running Man is the top-rated show on television—a deadly competition where contestants, known as Runners, must survive 30 days while being hunted by professional assassins, with every move broadcast to a bloodthirsty public and each day bringing a greater cash reward. Desperate to save his sick daughter, working-class Ben Richards (Glen Powell) is convinced by the show’s charming but ruthless producer, Dan Killian (Josh Brolin), to enter the game as a last resort.
But Ben’s defiance, instincts, and grit turn him into an unexpected fan favorite—and a threat to the entire system. As ratings skyrocket, so does the danger, and Ben must outwit not just the Hunters, but a nation addicted to watching him fall."