The Thanksgiving weekend brought an early holiday celebration to the box office, led by the record-breaking success of Moana 2.
According to studio estimates, the Disney sequel earned $221 million in ticket sales domestically over five days, surpassing previous Thanksgiving records set by Frozen 2 in 2019.
Combined with an international haul of $165.3 million, the film`s global earnings reached $386 million, marking the second-largest opening of the year.
Originally conceived as a Disney+ series, Moana 2 shifted to theaters under Disney CEO Bob Iger, with Auli’i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson reprising their roles.
Joining the box office surge, Universal Pictures` Wicked garnered $117.5 million over the same period, pushing its global total to $359.2 million in two weeks.
The Broadway adaptation now holds the title of the highest-grossing musical film, overtaking Grease unadjusted for inflation.
Meanwhile, Ridley Scott`s Gladiator II brought in $44 million in its second weekend, contributing to a $320 million global total despite its hefty production budget.
Altogether, the weekend`s combined ticket sales reached $420 million, shattering Thanksgiving records and signaling a potential rebound for the movie industry, which had been struggling post-pandemic.
Industry leaders attributed this success to the simultaneous release of major blockbusters, with National Association of Theatre Owners CEO Michael O’Leary highlighting the benefits of competition in driving audience engagement.
Disney’s decision to release Moana 2 in theaters follows a string of underperforming animated releases. Analysts predict it could become Disney’s third billion-dollar movie in 2024, alongside Inside Out 2 and Deadpool & Wolverine.
Though critical reception has been mixed, audiences responded positively, giving it an “A-” CinemaScore.
With upcoming releases like Mufasa: The Lion King and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 on the horizon, the holiday season is expected to sustain the momentum. Final domestic earnings for the weekend will be confirmed Monday.
Estimated U.S. and Canadian box office rankings from Friday to Sunday are as follows:
Moana 2 - $135 million
Wicked - $80 million
Gladiator II - $30.7 million
Red One - $12.9 million
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever - $3.3 million
Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin - $2.4 million
Venom: The Last Dance - $2.2 million
Heretic - $956,797
The Wild Robot - $670,000
A Real Pain - $665,000
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