By Variety | Created at 2024-11-26 18:13:34 | Updated at 2024-11-28 19:48:21
2 days ago
“Moana 2” is expected to make waves at the box office over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
The sequel to Disney’s musical hit “Moana” opens in 4,200 North American theaters on Wednesday and is projected to collect between $135 million to $145 million in its first five days of release. Those ticket sales would register as the biggest Thanksgiving frame, overtaking 2019’s Disney sequel “Frozen II” ($125 million over the five days) and 2013’s “Hunger Games: Catching Fire” ($109 million over the five days).
“Moana” will also swim to screens at the international box office, where it’s pacing to add an additional $100 million and would bring the global tally to $235 million. Based on presales and buzz, the animated adventure is primed to be another 2024 theatrical smash for Disney following the mega successes of June’s “Inside Out 2” ($1.6 billion) and July’s “Deadpool & Wolverine” ($1.3 billion). Movie theaters are especially thankful for the expected win because the “Moana” follow-up was developed as a television show for Disney+ before it was retooled into a movie.
The original “Moana” opened to $82 million over the extended Thanksgiving weekend in 2016. It became a success for Disney with $680 million at the global box office but exploded in popularity on Disney+ and other digital platforms. In 2023 — seven years after its theatrical debut — “Moana” was the most streamed movie of the year in the U.S. with 11.6 billion minutes watched, according to Nielson. So, the Polynesian adventure hasn’t waned in popularity since the first Trump administration. That’s also why the studio is developing a separate, live-action remake of the original for release in 2026.
Dwayne Johnson and Auliʻi Cravalho reprise their voice roles as the tattooed demigod Maui and the Polynesian heroine (who is not a princess) Moana in the sequel, in which the plucky wayfinder journeys far into the ocean to find a hidden island and break a curse. Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote such memorable hits as “How Far I’ll Go” and “You’re Welcome” for the first film, didn’t return for the second, instead passing songwriting duties to Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, the duo behind “The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical.”
Thanksgiving is usually a busy time at the movies, however this year’s holiday stretch — with help from “Wicked” and “Gladiator II” — looks to fuel a record turnout. “Ralph Breaks the Internet,” “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” and “Creed II” powered the biggest Turkey Day to date with $315 million in grosses across all films. Post-pandemic Thanksgivings have been lackluster at best, but 2023’s holiday was one of the worst in modern history with just $125 million in total, led by Disney’s “Wish” and “Hunger Games” prequel “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.”
“Wicked,” the big screen version of Act One of the beloved Broadway show, has generated $129 million domestically and $178 million worldwide after four days of release. Universal’s big budget musical, starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, will land in second place with estimates of $60 million over the traditional weekend (dropping roughly 50% from its record $114 million start) and at least $80 million over the five days. Audience excitement for “Wicked” is not just appreciated but necessary because “Part Two,” chronicling the musical’s second act, arrives on the big screen in 2025. The two films cost a combined $300 million, not including the expansive, expensive marketing efforts.
Meanwhile “Gladiator II” has grossed $60.5 million domestically and $225 million globally so far. Paramount’s R-rated sequel to 2000’s “Gladiator” looks to add $33 million from North American cinemas over the traditional weekend (declining 44% from its $55.5 million debut) and $45 million between Wednesday and Sunday. The sword-and-sandal epic, starring Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal and Denzel Washington, cost a mighty $250 million to produce and at least $100 million to promote, so the tentpole needs to remain in the global box office arena to justify its price tag.
