Den of Thieves 2 Takes the Weekend Crown as Better Man Struggles at the Box Office

In a notably quiet weekend for the film industry, Lionsgate's latest release, Den of Thieves 2: Pantera, emerged victorious, raking in an impressive $15.5 million at the box office, according to studio estimates released on Sunday. This comes during a challenging time for Hollywood, with many eyes fixated on the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles, a city that houses the largest box office market in the United States.

January is traditionally a slower time for moviegoers, a trend exacerbated by the recent closure of around ten theaters in the Los Angeles area. This sequel to the 2018 heist thriller starring Gerard Butler opened similarly to its predecessor, which debuted with $15.2 million seven years ago. The film debuted in a strong 3,008 theaters across North America, with Butler's co-star O'Shea Jackson Jr. joining him in this latest installment.

Butler seems to have made January a recurring launch pad for his films, as reflected in his successful 2023 release, Plane, which grossed $32.1 million within its opening weekend. Den of Thieves 2 had a production budget of approximately $40 million and managed to resonate enough with audiences to earn a “B+” CinemaScore, although it received mixed reviews with a 58% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Notably, this marks Lionsgate’s first number one opening since the release of The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes in November 2023.

In stark contrast, the musical biopic Better Man, which uniquely features a CGI chimpanzee portraying pop sensation Robbie Williams, flopped spectacularly. Despite its audacious premise, the film collected a mere $1.1 million from 1,291 theaters. Produced for $110 million, it failed to capture the audience's attention, mirroring the lackluster performance of Williams' prior U.S. ventures. While Better Man received commendable reviews, it was overshadowed in the box office by other disappointing openings, including The Last Showgirl, which earned $1.5 million, and The Brutalist, garnering $1.4 million despite being released in only 68 locations.

As the weekend unfolded, returning holiday favorites continued to dominate the box office. Mufasa: The Lion King brought in $13.2 million, elevating its global total to a staggering $539.7 million in its fourth week. Similarly, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 contributed an additional $11 million, increasing its total to $384.8 million. Horror hit Nosferatu maintained its momentum with $6.8 million, pushing its domestic earnings to $81.1 million, while Disney’s Moana 2 edged closer to the billion-dollar mark, adding $6.5 million for a total of $989.8 million globally.

As these films continue to capture audiences' imaginations, Den of Thieves 2: Pantera stands proud atop a quiet weekend box office, foreshadowing potential sequels in a franchise that now seems to be carving a niche in January releases. Keep an eye on the final domestic figures to be released Monday!

Top Box Office Earners from Friday to Sunday:

1. Den of Thieves 2: Pantera - $15.5 million 2. Mufasa: The Lion King - $13.2 million 3. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 - $11 million 4. Nosferatu - $6.8 million 5. Moana 2 - $6.5 million 6. A Complete Unknown - $5 million 7. Wicked - $5 million 8. Babygirl - $3.1 million 9. Game Changer - $1.9 million