November’s Biggest Box Office Battle Is Headed For A Surprise Upset

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Following a very slow October for movie theaters, November brings a lot of highly anticipated releases, and this weekend will be particularly competitive. Edgar Wright’s The Running Man, a fresh take on the Stephen King story with Glen Powell, is opening at the same time as Now You See Me: Now You Don’t, the third film in the popular magician-heist series – and the first in nearly ten years.

While Now You See Me 3 seems to understand what fans want after a long wait, The Running Man has a significant advantage: it’s a big, exciting action movie perfect for the immersive IMAX experience, which has been key to getting people back to theaters since the pandemic.

Before the release of both films, it was hard to say which one would perform better. Now, early numbers from the U.S. show they’re both expected to earn around $20 million, with the new blockbuster slightly ahead. However, Predator: Badlands is close behind at $16 million, even though it’s already been out for a week.

I think, by the end of this weekend, we could see that third film unexpectedly come out on top.

Predator: Badlands Could Beat Two New Releases This Weekend

Despite some fan concerns about its PG-13 rating, Dan Trachtenberg’s new Predator movie was a hit when it released last weekend. The film received positive reviews and earned $40 million domestically – the best opening weekend ever for the franchise (without adjusting for inflation). Audiences also gave it a strong A- score on CinemaScore, suggesting it will stay popular in theaters for weeks to come.

Both The Running Man and Now You See Me: Now You Don’t haven’t been seen by many viewers yet, and early reviews haven’t been very positive. They currently have scores of 63% and 60% on Rotten Tomatoes, respectively. While audience reactions could differ, these scores likely won’t generate a lot of excitement for the films.

Actually, this could lead more people to watch Predator: Badlands, which has been very well-received with both critics (85% ‘Certified Fresh’) and audiences (95%). Positive reviews are already spreading, and even though the film did better than expected, there’s still potential to attract viewers who are impressed by its early success.

Some viewers are worried the film won’t have enough action since it didn’t get an R-rating, but the filmmakers explained this was due to a lack of visible human blood, not a lack of intense moments. Conversely, despite being rated PG-13, many might have thought a Predator movie wasn’t for them, until they learned that Badlands is more of a sci-fi adventure than previous installments.

If Badlands earns $16 million, that would be a significant 60% decrease. However, I believe positive buzz could help it perform better. Even finishing ahead of either of the new movies coming out would be impressive, and either outcome would definitely get Hollywood’s attention.

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2025-11-13 18:00