Welcome to the Weekend POURcast – your boozy guide to the box office.
Every Thursday, we serve up the Weekend POURcast – what’s new in theaters and on streaming (movies only!), paired with commentary and predictions. Whether you’re heading out to the big screen or settling in at home with a drink, we’re here to help you turn your weekend watch‑list into an event. Let’s pour it up. 🍸🎬
Last Weekend in Review
The weekend of November 14–16 showed us how strong name recognition and franchise power still move seats. Now You See Me: Now You Don’t opened to about $21.3 M, with The Running Man bringing in around $17 M. Meanwhile, older titles like Predator: Badlands held on in the top five ($13 M) despite new competition. The takeaway: people showed up for something familiar, strong, and event‑worthy. Smaller films continue to struggle against this mid‑November surge.
New in Theaters (Nov 21–23)
This weekend, we’re looking at major new releases and one with heavy star and franchise appeal:
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Wicked: For Good hits wide this Friday, following advanced screenings. Tickets have been available for early access and premium formats.
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Also opening: Rental Family (a U.S. theatrical opening of a foreign‑co‑produced dramedy) – a serious Oscar contender.
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Note: While smaller releases may arrive, the headline is clearly Wicked.
New on Streaming / Franchise‑Related Series or Movies
While this weekend has fewer big streaming movie‑drops tied to major theatrical franchises, there’s still activity:
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The special event series Wicked: One Wonderful Night aired earlier in the week, building buzz around the Wicked sequel.
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Catalog film: the first Wicked remains available streaming and serves as a refresher ahead of the sequel.
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Streaming platforms are prepping for holiday content, so this weekend may be more about theatrical than screen‑in‑your‑living‑room.
Box Office Prognostications (Nov 21–23)
Here’s how we think the weekend might play out:
| Rank | Title | Projected Weekend Gross |
|---|---|---|
| 1️⃣ | Wicked: For Good | $60M‑$75M – Big franchise, holiday timing, strong promotional tie‑ins. |
| 2️⃣ | Now You See Me: Now You Don’t | $18M‑$24M – Should hold well thanks to brand & recent opening. |
| 3️⃣ | The Running Man | $15M‑$20M – Still strong, but may slip behind the new Wicked push. |
| 4️⃣ | Predator: Badlands | $6M‑$9M – Likely to remain in the top five if holds sustain. |
| 5️⃣ | Rental Family | $3M‑$5M – Smaller opening, but may earn a solid niche debut. |
Final Thoughts
We’re entering an exciting stretch: this weekend marks the arrival of a major musical fantasy sequel (Wicked), while audience appetite for spectacle and brand remains strong. If you’re heading out, this is your weekend to pick your tone, spectacle and song (Wicked: For Good), or illusion and action via those holdovers. Streaming will follow, but theaters are locked in this week.
Catch you next Thursday for the next round of premieres, streaming updates, and box office forecasting.
