Novocaine Expected to Lead Box Office with $10-12 Million

Paramount's action comedy 'Novocaine,' starring Jack Quaid, opened with strong box office figures, grossing $1.8 million in Thursday previews and expected to earn between $10 million to $12 million during its opening weekend. The film, which follows a bank executive with a rare condition preventing him from feeling pain, has garnered positive reviews, holding an 81% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Competing against Bong Joon Ho's 'Mickey 17' and Steven Soderbergh’s 'Black Bag,' it is poised to lead the box office despite all films receiving a B CinemaScore from audiences. 'Novocaine's' performance is attributed to good word of mouth and Quaid’s rising star power, following his successful role in 'The Boys.' The film's production budget was reported at $18 million, suggesting it could achieve profitability with strong weekend sales. Industry analysts are closely watching its trajectory amid mixed results for the action-comedy genre.