‘Moana 2,’ ‘Wicked’ and ‘Gladiator II’ score box office trifecta on Thanksgiving weekend
CNN
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Instead of lounging on the couch after Thanksgiving, Americans headed to movie theaters, as the premiere of Disney's "Moana 2" and the draw of "Wicked" and "Gladiator II" provided a big boost to the domestic box office.
The three blockbusters led the five-day opening weekend record to soar past 2018's record $315.6 million, pulling in an estimated $420 million as of Sunday.
The "Moana" sequel set the record for the highest-grossing five-day opening, earning $221 million domestically and surpassing "The Super Mario Bros. Movie," which earned $204.6 million in 2023.
"‘Moana 2' has far surpassed our high expectations this weekend and is a testament to the phenomenon that Moana has become," Alan Bergman, co-chairman of Disney Entertainment, said in a news release.
"Having all three of these films seems to be a strategy, whether by design or by accident, that really draws massive amounts of attention to the movie theater experience," said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore.
The success of the three films brought a new perspective on where the box office year can wind up, he said, since no one expected this to be a $420 million Thanksgiving weekend.
Universal Pictures' "Wicked" has grossed $262.4 million domestically after earning another $80 million Friday through Sunday, according to Comscore. Paramount Pictures' "Gladiator II," which has grossed $111.2 million, earned $30.7 million from Friday through Sunday.
The two films, which both opened on November 22, were quickly given the portmanteau "Glicked," similar to the "Barbenheimer" craze of "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" in the summer of 2023.
The Christmas action movie "Red One," distributed domestically by Amazon MGM Studios and internationally by Warner Brothers Discovery snagged the No. 4 spot and earned $12.89 in its third weekend. Warner Bros. Discover is the parent company of CNN.
"Red One" was followed by Lionsgate's "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever," which grossed $3.27 in its second weekend.
Meanwhile, the box office should have leftovers after this Thanksgiving haul. The three biggest movies are expected to have long life spans and draw attention for weeks to come.
Daniel Loria, editorial director at The Boxoffice Company, said "Gladiator II" doesn't have any direct competition until mid-December, when Sony's "Kraven the Hunter" is released. "Moana 2" won't have an animated family movie competitor for a few weeks, when both "Sonic the Hedgehog 3" and "Mufasa: The Lion King" are released on December 20. There will be interactive showings of "Wicked" in about 1,000 North American theaters starting December 25, where audience members can sing along with the movie.
Some moviegoers have had trouble buying advanced tickets to see the movies and will likely be drawn in for other showtimes in the coming weeks, according to Michael O'Leary, president and CEO of the National Association of Theatre Owners.
Reviving the moviegoing experience
Loria said Universal, Paramount and Disney focused on theatrical-driven marketing campaigns, which movie theater companies could lean into. Seventy-five percent of all showtimes were for the three most popular movies this weekend, according to Loria and The Boxoffice Company data.
It meant movie theaters stepped up to cater to three very different audiences: those looking for epic historical action, musical fantasy and animated adventure.
Dergarabedian said the theater screen goes hand-in-hand with streaming services at home and can build up the success of a movie long-term.
"That was additive and complementary: having the big screen and the small screen for Disney working together to build up the potential revenue and viewership," he said.
