The magicians of “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t” pulled off their biggest trick yet in the film’s opening weekend: bringing audiences back to theaters during one of the slowest box office periods in decades.
After October posted a 27-year record low (excluding the pandemic), according to The Hollywood Reporter, the third installment of the franchise delivered a welcome boost. The outlet noted that the slump wasn’t due to a lack of films but rather a failure of recent releases to connect with general audiences. “Tron: Ares” led the pack but had earned only $63.4 million domestically as of Oct. 30.
By contrast, “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t” opened with $21.3 million at the domestic box office and $75.5 million globally, outpacing fellow newcomer “The Running Man,” which reached only $28 million worldwide in its opening weekend, according to Box Office Mojo.
Considering its $90 million production budget, the film appears to be off to a promising start.
The struggling box office
The film’s strong turnout comes at a time when moviegoing overall is faltering. The New York Times reported that while a few franchise titles continue to perform well, the box office as a whole is going through a rough patch, particularly for dramas. Of the last 25 dramas released in the past three months, nearly all struggled to bring in audiences.
While October is typically a slower movie month in general, 2025 marked the lowest box office total in the U.S. and Canada in 27 years (excluding 2020 and adjusting for inflation), earning just $445 million across all releases, according to The New York Times. July makes up 15.6% of the year’s earnings thus far, generating $1.1 billion in the box office, per Box Office Mojo.
Against this backdrop, the opening weekend performance from “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t” stands out.
What are critics saying?
Reviews for the sequel have been mixed but lean positive. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 59% Tomatometer score, an improvement over the first film’s 51%. IMDb user reviews for the original remain relatively high at 7.2/10, while the latest sequel earned a 6.3/10 from IMDb reviewers.
Critics on Metacritic praised the film’s energy and style, with one reviewer writing:
“Stylish, playful and buoyed by the chemistry of its returning ensemble, ‘Now You See Me: Now You Don’t’ sharpens the franchise’s act with a surer hand to present a dazzling heist film that doesn’t treat its audience like a mark, but rewards them for paying attention.”
Another critic put it more succinctly, “Yes, it’s ridiculous. No, it doesn’t make perfect sense. But damn if it isn’t a hoot and a half to watch.”
Not everyone was so impressed. Derek Smith of Slant Magazine wrote:
“The third film in the series reliably delivers on the promise of both flamboyant showmanship and a steadfast refusal to adhere to more than just the rules of physics.”
What are fans saying?
Audience reactions lean more positive than critics. According to PostTrak polling, 63% of audiences say they would recommend the film.
Users on X shared thoughts of their own, with most praising the movie’s entertainment value and the return of the franchise’s characters after nearly a decade.
Still, not all viewers were impressed, and some expressed frustration with the film’s direction and script.