‘Den of Thieves 2’ Tops Box Office with $15 Million; Robbie Williams Biopic ‘Better Man’ Struggles with $1 Million Debut.
Lionsgate’s heist thriller Den of Thieves 2: Pantera claimed the top spot at the box office, earning $15.5 million from 3,008 theaters in North America.
The sequel to the 2018 film Den of Thieves exceeded expectations, debuting slightly ahead of its predecessor’s $15.2 million opening. Like the first film, Den of Thieves 2 launched in January and hopes to match its predecessor’s global success, which grossed $80 million. However, the second installment carries a $40 million production budget, making sustained box office performance crucial. The film received mixed reviews, earning a “B+” grade on CinemaScore and a 58% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Starring Gerard Butler as Big Nick, the gritty Los Angeles cop pursues ex-marine turned robber Donnie (O’Shea Jackson Jr.) across Europe as he plans a massive diamond heist.
“These films are made for audiences, not critics,” said David A. Gross, head of Franchise Entertainment Research. “Gerard Butler is an established action star, and this type of good-versus-evil story has global appeal.” While Lionsgate typically sells foreign distribution rights to reduce risk, the studio hopes Den of Thieves 2 signals a recovery for its theatrical releases. After a string of failures in 2024, including films like Borderlands, The Crow, and Halle Berry’s Never Let Go, Lionsgate is optimistic about 2025, with high-profile titles such as the John Wick spinoff Ballerina, Saw XI, and a Michael Jackson biopic in the pipeline.
Meanwhile, Paramount’s Better Man, a musical biopic about British singer Robbie Williams, struggled at the box office, grossing only $1 million from 1,291 screens. The film, directed by Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman), tells Williams’ rise to fame through the eyes of a CGI monkey, reflecting his own feelings of being “less evolved than other people.” While the film received positive reviews, it underperformed both domestically and internationally, grossing just $1.9 million in the U.S. and $4.7 million globally.
Produced independently for approximately $110 million and acquired by Paramount for $25 million, Better Man faced an uphill battle in the box office. Despite the growing trend of successful musical biopics in recent years, such as those about Amy Winehouse, Bob Dylan, and Elvis Presley, Better Man struggled to capture audience interest. Gross noted that while the film’s creative risks, like casting a digitally animated chimpanzee as Williams, were bold, the $110 million budget was unrealistic for a film about a niche musical artist. “$25 to $30 million would have been more sensible,” he said.
Better Man debuted in 14th place, trailing even smaller specialty releases. One such release, A24’s The Brutalist, earned an impressive $1.38 million from just 68 screens. The historical drama, which clocks in at three hours and 30 minutes (including an intermission), recently won three Golden Globe awards, including Best Drama, Best Director for Brady Corbet, and Best Actor for Adrien Brody. Brody portrays László Tóth, a fictional architect who emigrates to the U.S. after the Holocaust. The Brutalist will expand into more theaters next weekend, with a wider release set for January 24, including IMAX screenings.
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