The holiday season is always a highly anticipated time for moviegoers, and this year was no exception. Two family films dominated the box office, with “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” and “Mufasa” vying for the top spot. While both films were highly anticipated, it was Paramount’s Sonic movie that came out on top, earning an impressive $38 million in its opening weekend. However, The Walt Disney Co.’s “Mufasa” was not far behind, bringing in $37.1 million in its first three days.
Typically, the winner of a weekend box office battle would be clear, but with Christmas falling on a Wednesday this year, studios also looked at the five-day earnings. In this case, “Mufasa” took the lead with a total of $63.8 million. But both films should be commended for their success, especially considering the continued strong performances of “Wicked” and “Moana 2”, which have been in theaters for six and five weekends respectively.
But the success of these two films was not the only exciting news at the box office this holiday season. “Nosferatu”, a modern reimagining of the 1922 silent film, also made its debut and landed in third place with an impressive $21.2 million over the weekend and $40.3 million in its first five days. The R-rated film, starring Nicholas Hoult and Lily-Rose Depp, was released by Focus Features in 2,992 theaters, and its unconventional Christmas release proved to be a smart move. It even had the best opening day for a genre film on Christmas, beating out “The Faculty’s” record of $4.4 million in 1998. This success is a testament to the film’s quality and the studio’s bold decision to shake things up and offer something different to moviegoers.
Another new release that made a splash was the Bob Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown”, directed by James Mangold and starring Timothée Chalamet. The film earned an impressive $11.6 million over the weekend and $23.2 million since its Christmas Day release. This is a record for Searchlight Pictures since it was acquired by Disney in 2019. With a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an A CinemaScore, “A Complete Unknown” is sure to continue its success in the coming weeks and months, especially as it enters the awards race.
“Babygirl”, an A24 release from filmmaker Halina Reijn, also had a strong debut, earning $4.4 million over the weekend and $7.2 million since its Christmas release. The erotic drama, starring Nicole Kidman, has received praise from both critics and audiences, and Kidman’s performance has already won her the best acting prize at the Venice Film Festival. And Amazon MGM Studios’ “The Fire Inside”, while receiving positive reviews, unfortunately got lost in the mix and has earned a total of $4.3 million.
But the success of Thanksgiving releases continued through the Christmas timeframe. “Wicked” came in fourth place with $19.5 million, bringing its domestic total to an impressive $424.2 million. And on Tuesday, the movie musical will also be available to rent or purchase at home. This decision has been met with some criticism, as some believe it may cannibalize profits by making the film available at home after only 40 days in theaters. However, the film’s popularity and strong box office performance speak for themselves.
“Moana 2” rounded out the top five films this weekend with $18.2 million. The Disney movie has made a total of $882.5 million globally and is closing in on $400 million domestically. These numbers are a testament to the enduring popularity of family-friendly films and the magic of Disney.
Christmas Day itself was a massive day for the industry, with $61 million in ticket sales. And Thursday was almost as big, with $50 million in ticket sales. This strong performance is a promising sign for the industry and shows that audiences are still eager to go to the movies, especially during the holiday season.
Overall, the holiday box office numbers are a positive sign for the industry as a whole. While the year may have had its ups and downs, with a projected total of $8.75 billion in domestic box office receipts, it is still a strong year for the
