The box office saw fierce competition this weekend as Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King narrowly took the top spot over Sonic The Hedgehog 3.
Mufasa: The Lion King Claims Top Spot
According to Box Office Mojo, Disney’s prequel to The Lion King roared to the top of the box office with $23.8 million. The film, which dives into the origin story of one of Disney’s most iconic characters, continues to draw audiences with its lush visuals and the nostalgic pull of its predecessor.
While it secured the #1 spot at the box office, the margin was razor-thin. Strong family attendance over the weekend helped Mufasa climb just above Sonic The Hedgehog 3, though its slight edge shows just how competitive this weekend was.
Sonic 3 sped to second place with $21.2 million, keeping its momentum alive after its strong opening weekend. Paramount’s beloved video game franchise continues to attract families and longtime fans, bolstered by a stellar voice cast and fast-paced, action-packed fun.
The third installment’s slight drop from last weekend is typical for big franchises, but with its cross-generational appeal, Sonic remains a major player in the holiday box office race.
The Rest Of The Box Office
Robert Eggers’ gothic horror reimagining of Nosferatu remained in the third place spot with a solid $13.2 million. The haunting reimagining of the silent-era classic found its audience among genre enthusiasts and fans of Eggers’ atmospheric storytelling.
With its eerie visuals and critical acclaim, Nosferatu has positioned itself as a strong piece of counter-programming to the family-friendly fare dominating the top of the charts. Positive word-of-mouth could give it legs in the coming weeks.
Moana 2 danced into fourth place with $12.4 million, while Universal’s Wicked claimed the #5 spot with $10.2 million. Both films continue to pull in steady audiences, though their box office performances have slightly dipped compared to previous weeks. Despite their lower placements, these family-friendly and musical offerings still draw consistent crowds, particularly during the holiday season.
Next Week’s Releases
Next week sees the release of Den of Thieves 2: Pantera and Better Man.
Den of Thieves 2: Pantera is tracking for a $15 million to $20 million box office opening weekend. There’s no tracking for Better Man, but considering that the movie is a niche subject in North America, it’ll have an incredibly tough task of selling audiences on an artist that they barely know at the box office.
I see Den of Thieves 2: Pantera placing first if there’s dropoffs for the other movies in line with their current changes week-to-week. I don’t see Better Man cracking the top 5. It’ll likely make $2 million or so at the box office. However, there could be some hope from walk-ins. I have my doubts though.
As always, we’ll find out next week!
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