Sonic The Hedgehog 3 was the clear winner this weekend at the box office; and showed that the franchise certainly can go toe-to-toe with Disney.
Sonic The Hedgehog 3 Grabs The Gold At The Box Office
As per Box Office Mojo, The box office saw a clear winner this weekend (as predicted last week) as Sonic the Hedgehog 3 raced to the top with an impressive $62 million opening. Paramount’s blue speedster solidified itself as a new family-favorite this holiday season.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 benefited from the goodwill generated by its predecessors, a clever marketing campaign, and its appeal across multiple demographics. With the holiday season in full swing, families flocked to theatres, giving Sonic a significant edge over competitors.
In second place, Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King debuted to $35 million. The prequel fell short of the of its expected $55 million to $75 million opening. Despite this, the film’s strong international performance is expected to bolster its overall box office tally. This can likely be chalked up to bad will from the original movie, which left many fans undesiring for more; as well as the fact that this is a prequel. Prequels tend not to do as well at the box office as people perceive that they know how the story will end.
The Rest Of The Box Office
The third spot at the box office went to Universal’s Wicked, which added $13.5 million to its total. The musical adaptation continues to hold steady with audiences despite facing stiff competition.
In fourth place, Moana 2 sailed just behind Wicked, bringing in $13.1 million for its second weekend. The sequel has seen a slower-than-expected performance compared to the original, but strong word-of-mouth could keep it afloat in the weeks ahead.
Meanwhile, the indie thriller Homestead rounded out the top five with $6.1 million. The film’s niche appeal and limited release contributed to its modest debut, but it performed well on a per-theater basis.
Next Week’s Predictions
Next week, we will see a load of holiday releases at the box office with Nosferatu, A Complete Unknown, The Fire Inside, and Better Man.
Nosferatu is expected to open to $12 million to $16 million. It has some good buzz, and has a solid director and stars at the helm. I expect it’ll make closer to $15 million.
A Complete Unknown is in the range of $11 million to $15 million. While the movie has some buzz, the marketing for this film isn’t as prominent or effective as it could be considering the subject and director. I’m expecting a $12 million opening.
The Fire Inside is targeting a $6.5 million opening. I think it’ll make closer to $3.5 million as the movie has been significantly dropping in terms of expected revenue.
Finally, Better Man is targeting a $9 million opening, but with the limited appeal of Robbie Williams I expect the film to land closer to $7 million or $8 million.
As to how it’ll all land at the box office. I would expect Sonic The Hedgehog 3 to still be in first. Nosferatu in second. Wicked in third. Although A Complete Unknown may nab that spot, if not it’ll be in fourth. I expect it to be a close call. Finally, I expect Better Man to place in fifth.
As always, we’ll find out next week!
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