The November box office is alive again as two major new releases face off for the top spot. Lionsgate’s Now You See Me: Now You Don’t and Paramount’s The Running Man are battling it out this weekend, looking to take down last week’s champ, Predator: Badlands.

Now You See Me: Now You Don’t pulled in about $2.1 million from Thursday previews, slightly ahead of The Running Man, which earned $1.9 million. Analysts expect the magician-heist sequel to debut in the $20 million range, while The Running Man is tracking just below that in the high teens.

Meanwhile, Predator: Badlands continues to draw solid crowds after an $80 million global opening last week. The sci-fi thriller is projected to earn another $16 to $20 million this weekend, likely landing in third but keeping a strong hold in its second frame.

The heist-driven Now You See Me series returns with a mix of familiar faces and new cast additions, aiming to recapture the flashy energy of the earlier installments. The Running Man, directed by Edgar Wright and starring Glen Powell, updates the dystopian action classic with a modern spin and a heavy dose of dark humor. Both films are chasing the same general audience—moviegoers looking for high-stakes entertainment before the Thanksgiving rush.

Industry analysts are watching closely. After a sluggish October, theater owners are hoping these two titles can jumpstart the final stretch of the year. A strong weekend could boost confidence heading into Disney’s Moana 2 and Warner Bros.’ Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, both opening in the coming weeks.

By Sunday, the top spot could come down to staying power rather than spectacle. If Now You See Me: Now You Don’t continues to perform well beyond its opening weekend, it may signal a genuine resurgence for mid-budget franchise films. But with The Running Man attracting positive early reactions, the race is far from over.