Weekend Box Office Breakdown: November 15-17, 2025 – A Soft November with Newcomers Struggling to Ignite

As the holiday movie season ramps up, the weekend box office for November 15-17, 2025, delivered a disappointing performance, marking the lowest-grossing November top 10 since the pandemic era and even dipping below 1996 levels. The total domestic haul clocked in at just $72.5 million, a stark 16% drop from the same frame in 2024 and a worrying sign for theaters bracing for Thanksgiving blockbusters like Wicked: For Good. Despite star power from Glen Powell and Edgar Wright, audiences opted for holdovers amid a crowded slate of remakes and sequels. Here's the full rundown, powered by data from Box Office Mojo, The Numbers, and Deadline.Top 10 Films at the Domestic Box OfficeRank Film Weekend Gross Total Gross Week # Notes 1 Now You See Me: Now You Don’t (Lionsgate) $18.2M $18.2M 1 Edgar Wright's sequel to the 2013 heist flick debuted with a middling $18.2M, edging out competitors in a three-way tie for first. The $80M production (up from the original's budget) drew a 2.1x multiplier in previews but faces an uphill battle to hit $50M domestic, per historical November openers in this range. Audiences gave it a B CinemaScore, praising the ensemble (Lizzy Caplan, Jesse Eisenberg) but critiquing the convoluted plot. 2 The Running Man (Paramount) $17.5M $17.5M 1 Glen Powell stars in this $110M reboot of the 1987 Schwarzenegger classic, opening to $17.5M—below expectations of $20M+. Directed by Doug Liman, it taps into dystopian action vibes but earned a B- CinemaScore amid mixed reviews (RT: 62%). High IMAX uptake (25% of sales) helped, but it needs strong word-of-mouth to avoid bombing like recent November tentpoles. 3 Predator: Badlands (20th Century/Disney) $13.0M (-68%) $72.4M 2 Dan Trachtenberg's franchise entry took a brutal second-week plunge after its record $40M opening, but it's still the weekend's global bright spot with $80M worldwide already. Older demos (57% male over 25) drove the drop-off, though premium formats accounted for 53% of ticket sales. 4 Black Phone 2 (Universal) $8.1M (-42%) $45.6M 2 Ethan Hawke's horror sequel held steady, benefiting from Halloween afterglow. On track for $70M+ domestic on a modest $15M budget. 5 Venom: Last Dance (Sony) $6.5M (-35%) $185.2M 4 Tom Hardy's finale keeps chugging toward $225M domestic, a solid close to the trilogy. 6 The Monkey (Warner Bros.) $4.2M (-28%) $32.8M 3 Osgood Perkins' Stephen King adaptation continues its sleeper run, nearing profitability on $11M budget. 7 Nuremberg (A24) $3.8M $4.5M 1 Russell Crowe's WWII drama expands wide with a strong $3.8M, earning buzz as a prestige counterpoint to the action fare. 8 Longlegs (Neon) $2.9M (-25%) $78.3M 18 The indie horror phenom refuses to fade, proving word-of-mouth longevity. 9 Keeper (Neon) $2.0M $2.0M 1 Osgood Perkins' latest bombed with a $2M opening and D+ CinemaScore—reviews were scathing (RT: 41%), and limited press screenings didn't help. A rare flop for Neon. 10 Sentimental Value (Roadside Attractions) $1.7M $1.9M 1 Cannes Grand Prix winner impresses in limited release with top 2025 per-theater average ($12K+), signaling awards heat. Data compiled from Comscore and studio estimates; finals due Monday. All figures domestic (U.S./Canada).Key Takeaways: Why This Weekend FizzledNew Release Woes: Both Now You See Me and The Running Man landed in the $15-20M "November curse" zone—35 such openers historically, but only three since 2010 cracked $50M total. High budgets ($80M+ each) spell trouble without international legs. Holdover Heroes: Action and horror dominated repeats, with Predator: Badlands (-68% drop) still leading the pack. The overall weekend's $72.5M is the softest November since 2020's pandemic lows editorial.rottentomatoes.com . Diversity Snapshot: Audiences skewed male (58% across top films), with Latinos/Hispanics at 26% for Predator—a franchise high deadline.com . Older viewers (over 25) powered 70% of sales, per RelishMix. Global Glimmers: Predator: Badlands hit $80M worldwide, boosted by overseas action fans deadline.com . But the domestic slump (2025 YTD: $7.1B, +3% vs. 2024) underscores streaming's pull. Looking Ahead: Thanksgiving Turbocharge?Next weekend brings Wicked: For Good, Fandango's biggest PG pre-seller of 2025—poised to shatter records with Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo returning deadline.com . Expect $100M+ opening, potentially saving November. Other notables: Moana 2 expansions and Kraven the Hunter holdovers.This weekend's malaise highlights Hollywood's remake fatigue, but with holiday heavy-hitters inbound, 2025 could still end strong. Stay tuned for finals—what's your take on the flops? Drop a comment!