Illusionist Franchise Proves Enduring Appeal, Outpacing New Dystopian Thriller The Running Man

The Four Horsemen Return Victorious

November 18, 2025—Lionsgate’s long-awaited sequel, Now You See Me: Now You Don’t (or Now You See Me 3), has pulled off a major box office coup, topping the global chart this weekend with an estimated $75.5 million opening. The impressive debut for the third installment in the magic-heist franchise comes nearly a decade after the previous film.

The film, which reunites core cast members Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, and Isla Fisher as the Four Horsemen, proved particularly strong in international markets, generating $54.2 million across 64 territories.

International Markets Lead the Charge

The success of Now You See Me 3 was heavily dependent on its strong performance overseas, particularly in Asia:

China led the international charge, contributing a massive $19.2 million to the film’s total.

South Korea and France also posted strong numbers, with $3.9 million and $3.5 million, respectively.

In the domestic North American market, the film performed well above expectations, taking in an estimated $21.3 million. This was enough to comfortably defeat the weekend’s other major release, Paramount’s big-budget dystopian reboot, The Running Man, which debuted to an estimated $17 million.

Proving the Power of the Franchise

Directed by Ruben Fleischer (Venom, Zombieland), the film—which introduces new cast members like Justice Smith and Dominic Sessa—confirms the enduring global appetite for the illusionist series. Despite carrying a reported production budget of around $90 million, the massive opening puts the film on track for a very healthy run.

The strong reception is being attributed to high audience satisfaction scores, a successful mix of returning and new talent, and the film’s larger scale and complex magic choreography. The opening success is already generating buzz about a potential fourth installment in the franchise.