Novocaine Leads Slow Post-Pandemic Box Office

Jack Quaid's new action-comedy film, 'Novocaine,' topped a slow weekend at the box office with $8.7 million, marking one of the lowest-grossing weekends for a number one film since the pandemic began. Despite its modest opening, the film was produced on a low budget of $18 million, suggesting it could still be profitable. 'Novocaine' received generally positive reviews with an 82% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an audience score of 89%. The film's main competitor, 'Mickey 17,' directed by Bong Joon Ho, fell to the second spot, with earnings of $7.5 million. Other notable releases include Steven Soderbergh's 'Black Bag,' which opened at third place with $7 million despite its strong critical reception. The overall box office remains sluggish, with total weekend earnings struggling to surpass $54 million, underscoring ongoing challenges for the theatrical industry post-pandemic.