Over the weekend, Lionsgate's 'Den of Thieves 2: Pantera' emerged as the top-grossing film at the box office, raking in an estimated $15.5 million in ticket sales. This sequel to the 2018 heist thriller starring Gerard Butler and O'Shea Jackson Jr. debuted in 3,008 theaters across North America, mirroring the performance of its predecessor.
Despite mixed reviews, with a 58% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, 'Den of Thieves 2' managed to secure Lionsgate's first No.1 opening since 'The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes' in November 2023. The film, produced for around $40 million, received a respectable 'B+' CinemaScore from audiences.
Meanwhile, the music biopic 'Better Man,' featuring Robbie Williams portrayed by a CGI chimpanzee, failed to resonate with audiences, earning only $1.1 million from 1,291 locations. The film, produced for $110 million, was acquired by Paramount Pictures for $25 million but fell short of expectations.
Other notable releases included 'The Last Showgirl,' a Las Vegas drama starring Pamela Anderson, which expanded to 870 theaters and collected $1.5 million, and 'The Brutalist,' a postwar epic that grossed $1.4 million from 68 locations after winning best drama at the Golden Globes.
Despite the new releases, holiday holdovers continued to dominate the box office, with 'Mufasa: The Lion King' adding $13.2 million, 'Sonic the Hedgehog 3' bringing in $11 million, 'Nosferatu' collecting $6.8 million, and 'Moana 2' earning $6.5 million. 'Moana 2' is on track to join the billion-dollar club, becoming the third Disney film released in 2024 to achieve this milestone, alongside 'Inside Out 2' and 'Deadpool and Wolverine.'
Final domestic box office figures for the weekend will be released on Monday, providing a comprehensive overview of the latest ticket sales trends in the U.S. and Canada.
