The already excellent month of March, which gave us hits likeCreed IIIandScream VI, is ending on a strong note with this week’sDungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieveshoping for a top-place finish at the weekend box office. The big-budget fantasy-comedy grossed $5.6 million in Thursday previews, and is currently eyeing an opening weekend haul between $30 million and $40 million. The final number is expected to come in at the higher end of projections, considering the film’s solid reviews.
Honor Among Thieveswill expand into over 3,800 domestic theaters, as it hopes to attract not just fans of the table-top game on which it is based, but also fantasy enthusiasts in general. But expect a closely contested combat with last week’s holdover hitJohn Wick: Chapter 4, which is looking at a $36 million haul in its second weekend.
StarringChris Pine,Michelle Rodriguez,Justice Smith,Sophia LillisandHugh Grant,Honor Among Thievesis directed by comedy specialistsJohn Francis DaleyandJonathan Goldstein. The film cost a hefty $150 million to produce, which means that it will have to perform exceedingly well not just domestically, but also in overseas markets. Heading into its debut weekend,Honor Among Thieveswas expected to gross around $65 million worldwide, as it launches in 58 international territories.
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Paramount has shown tremendous confidence in the film, having premiered it at the South by Southwest Festival in Austin earlier this month, and hostingplenty of screeningsfor fans and the press. Collider’s ownCarly Lanepraised the film’s “unabashed silliness, memorable characters, and epic storytelling.” She wrote in herreview, “Honor Among Thieveswouldn’t work half as well as it does without a natural affection forD&Ditself, and that element shines through in nearly every scene.”
Paramount’s is Hoping to Continue Last Year’s Hot Streak
If all goes well,Honor Among Thievescould launch a new franchise for Paramount. The studio bounced back in grand fashion in the last couple of years, with hits such as the twoSonic the Hedgehogmovies, the twoScreamsequels, and of course,Top Gun: Maverick. Last year was particularly strong for Paramount; the studio was struggling very recently with behind-the-scenes changes and several of its major franchises —TransformersandTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, to name a couple — underperforming financially. The future is looking brighter now; later this year, Paramount will also debutMission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One.
But first,Honor Among Thieveswill have to battleJohn Wick 4. After debuting with a franchise-best $73 million domestically last weekend, the action sequel hasalready passed the $150 million markat the worldwide box office. You can watch our interview with Daley and Goldstein here, and stay tuned to Collider for more box office updates over the weekend.
