Box Office: ‘Now You See Me 3’ Casts Spell on Top With $8.4 Million Opening Day, ‘The Running Man’ Slower in Second

The “Now You See Me” franchise’s reappearing act is landing on the top of box office charts, debuting ahead of the weekend’s other new releases “The Running Man” and “Keeper.”

Lionsgate’s “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t” heisted $8.4 million across Friday and preview screenings from 3,403 locations. The PG-13-rated threequel is looking at a three-day opening between $21 million and $24 million — about in line with pre-weekend projections and in the ballpark of the prior 2016 entry, which opened to $22 million.

Critics turned in mediocre marks for “Now You Don’t,” but it is the best-reviewed of the trilogy. Meanwhile, audiences lean positive at a “B+” grade from moviegoer pollster Cinema Score (though lower than the “A-” grades for both prior entries). Lionsgate shelled out north of $90 million to revive the franchise, which is directed by Ruben Fleischer and sees Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher and Dave Franco…