Family-friendly films dominated the holiday box office, with “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” narrowly surpassing Disney’s “Mufasa: The Lion King” over the three-day weekend. Paramount’s “Sonic 3” grossed $38 million, while “Mufasa” earned $37.1 million in U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to studio estimates. However, when analyzing the extended five-day holiday period, “Mufasa” took the lead with $63.8 million.
The strong box office was further supported by “Wicked” and “Moana 2,” which continue to perform well in their sixth and fifth weekends, respectively.
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Robert Eggers' horror remake “Nosferatu” had a successful debut, earning $21.2 million over the weekend and $40.3 million in five days. The R-rated vampire film, released by Focus Features, achieved the best Christmas Day opening for a genre movie, bringing in $11.6 million. Despite opening alongside other high-profile releases, “Nosferatu” appealed to younger audiences and even inspired collectors, with themed merchandise reselling for over $100.
Other notable releases included the Bob Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown,” which earned $11.6 million over the weekend and $23.2 million in five days. Critics and audiences responded positively, making it the top five-day opening for Searchlight Pictures since its Disney acquisition. Meanwhile, A24’s erotic drama “Babygirl” grossed $4.4 million over the weekend and $7.2 million in five days, while Amazon MGM Studios’ “The Fire Inside” struggled with $4.3 million overall.
Thanksgiving releases also remained strong. “Wicked” added $19.5 million, pushing its domestic total to $424.2 million, though it will soon be available for digital purchase, sparking debate about its impact on box office revenue. “Moana 2” continued its impressive run, earning $18.2 million and approaching $400 million domestically with $882.5 million globally.
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Christmas Day generated $61 million in ticket sales, followed by $50 million on Thursday, contributing to an overall box office total projected to reach $8.75 billion this year. This marks a slight decline from last year’s $9 billion and the pre-pandemic average of $11 billion.
Top 10 Weekend Box Office Estimates (Friday-Sunday):
“Sonic the Hedgehog 3” - $38 million.
“Mufasa: The Lion King” - $37.1 million.
“Nosferatu” - $21.2 million.
“Wicked” - $19.5 million.
“Moana 2” - $18.2 million.
“A Complete Unknown” - $11.6 million.
“Babygirl” - $4.4 million.
“Gladiator II” - $4.2 million.
“Homestead” - $3.2 million.
“The Fire Inside” - $2 million.