Los Angeles, California – Walt Disney Animation’s latest film, “Moana 2,” has broken records by earning an astounding $28 million on Thanksgiving Day. This success comes as a ray of hope for the movie industry, which has faced challenges in recent years. The animated sequel is predicted to make over $175 million throughout the five-day holiday week, surpassing the previous records set by blockbuster films like “Frozen II” and “Hunger Games: Catching Fire.”
Not only “Moana 2” but other movies like Universal’s “Wicked” and Paramount’s “Gladiator II” are also contributing to the box office resurgence. These films, which were released last weekend, have continued to attract audiences, with “Wicked” grossing $16.9 million and “Gladiator II” earning $6.7 million on Thanksgiving. “Wicked” is expected to make $105.6 million over the holiday period, while “Gladiator II” is projected to bring in around $45 million. Both films have high production costs and are aiming to keep drawing in large crowds to cover their expenses.
Interestingly, “Moana 2” was initially planned as a Disney+ series before being transformed into a full-length feature film. The success of the original “Moana” movie in 2016, which earned $687.2 million worldwide, and its popularity on streaming platforms encouraged Disney to create a sequel. The current success of “Moana 2” and other big-budget blockbusters comes at a critical time for the movie exhibition industry, which has struggled due to the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and last year’s Hollywood strikes. The strong Thanksgiving box office numbers are seen as a sign of a potential recovery for theaters in the coming months.
Looking ahead, the winter holiday season may not see the same level of box office success as Thanksgiving. With upcoming releases like “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” from Paramount and “Mufasa: The Lion King” from Disney, there is anticipation but not the same blockbuster hype as previous years. The industry is hopeful that the recent surge in theater attendance will lead to a sustained rebound, despite the lack of major tentpole releases in the immediate future.