Jack Quaid’s action-comedy “ Novocaine ” topped a painfully slow weekend at the box office with $8.7 million. For theater owners, however, there’s not too much to celebrate: It’s one of the worst debuts to still capture the No. 1 spot (at least since the pandemic ground moviegoing to a halt).

"Novocaine" is off to a good start at the box office with an estimated $8.5 million opening weekend, but the marketplace is in a terrible slump.

Novocaine, the new action thriller starring Star Trek and The Boys alum, Jack Quaid, hasn't earned back its production budget at the box office yet.