Moana 2 has already earned $57.5M on its opening day and is projected to break Thanksgiving records.
- Disney’s “Moana 2” leads the holiday box office with a record-breaking opening day of $57.5M.
- “Wicked” and “Gladiator II” also contribute to a combined $315M Thanksgiving haul.
- Despite mixed reviews, audiences rate “Moana 2” highly, securing its position as a family favorite.
Disney’s Moana 2 has made a monumental impact at the Thanksgiving box office, earning $57.5 million on its opening day alone. Projections estimate it will earn between $175 million and $200 million over the holiday week. If these numbers hold, Moana 2 will set a new record for the Thanksgiving box office, surpassing Frozen II’s $125 million and Hunger Games: Catching Fire’s $109 million for the same period. Globally, the film has already brought in $66.3 million, solidifying its place as a worldwide blockbuster.
The film was initially planned as a Disney+ series before being transformed into a feature film, a decision that now seems to have paid off immensely. The sequel builds on the passionate fanbase of the original Moana, released in 2018, which became a streaming juggernaut on Disney+, logging over 80 billion minutes of viewership. This foundation has positioned Moana 2 as a must-watch holiday event, even as critics gave it a lukewarm 67% on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences, however, have embraced the film, awarding it an A- CinemaScore, demonstrating their strong connection to the characters and story.
Joining Moana 2 in this Thanksgiving box office resurgence is Universal’s Wicked, the long-anticipated adaptation of the Broadway musical. It earned $20.4 million on Wednesday and is projected to reach $97 million over the five-day weekend. With a domestic total expected to surpass $240 million by the end of the week, Wicked has proven its star power, led by Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Galinda. The two-part film adaptation, costing $300 million to produce, has been supported by a massive promotional campaign, including partnerships with brands like Starbucks and Lego.
Paramount’s Gladiator II also made its mark, earning $6.6 million on its opening day and an estimated $40 million over the holiday weekend. The sequel to the 2000 epic stars Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, and Denzel Washington, and carries a hefty $250 million budget. While not on the same scale as Moana 2 or Wicked, its performance contributes to a combined Thanksgiving week box office haul projected to exceed $315 million—a new milestone for the industry.
The voice cast for Moana 2 features the return of Auli’i Cravalho as Moana and Dwayne Johnson as Maui. While Lin-Manuel Miranda, the songwriter behind Moana’s iconic tracks like “How Far I’ll Go,” did not contribute to the sequel, Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, creators of The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical, composed new songs for the film. These tracks are expected to become holiday season hits, further boosting the film’s appeal.
This strong performance from Moana 2, Wicked, and Gladiator II signals a much-needed rebound for the movie industry, which faced challenges from pandemic-era closures and delayed productions due to the 2023 actors’ and writers’ strikes. These blockbusters are revitalizing the theater-going experience and re-establishing the significance of theatrical releases in an era increasingly dominated by streaming platforms.
The original Moana became a cultural milestone, grossing over $680 million globally and earning praise for its Polynesian-inspired story and music. The sequel had a significant legacy to uphold, and its ability to transform into a theatrical juggernaut highlights the evolving strategies of media companies to prioritize cinema releases. Alongside Wicked and Gladiator II, the success of Moana 2 suggests that the future of theaters may be brighter than anticipated.
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