‘Moana 2’ sails to a record $221 million opening as Hollywood celebrates a moviegoing feast

NEW YORK – Christmas got here early on the field workplace this yr.

“Moana 2” introduced in a tidal wave of moviegoers over the Thanksgiving Day weekend, setting information with $221 million in ticket gross sales, in keeping with studio estimates Sunday. That, mixed with “Wicked” and “Gladiator II,” made for an unprecedented weekend in cinemas and a confluence of blockbusters extra like what’s usually present in late December.

Expectations have been excessive for Walt Disney Co.’s “Moana 2,” however the movie blew predictions out of the water. Its five-day opening set a brand new file for Thanksgiving moviegoing. The earlier greatest was $125 million for “Frozen 2” in its second week of launch in 2019. “Moana 2” added $165.3 million internationally.

On the identical time, the sensation of “Wicked” confirmed no indicators of slowing down. The Common Footage musical introduced in $117.5 million over the five-day weekend, pushing its two-week world whole to $359.2 million. Not accounting for inflation, “Depraved” is now the best grossing Broadway adaptation over “Grease.” (That 1978 movie grossed $190 million, however factoring in inflation would put it previous $900 million.)

“Gladiator II,” in the meantime, additionally held effectively, dipping 44% from its opening weekend. Ridley Scott’s sequel to his Oscar-winning greatest image unique collected $44 million in its second weekend. Whereas its steep price ticket of $250 million will make profitability difficult, “Gladiator II” has swiftly gathered $320 million worldwide.

These three movies drove the general field workplace to greater than $400 million in Thanksgiving weekend ticket gross sales, a file. For an trade that has been battered lately by the pandemic, work stoppages and the upheaval brought on by streaming, it was a triumphant weekend that confirmed the still-potent energy of Hollywood’s blockbuster machine. Earlier than “Depraved,” “Moana 2” and “Gladiator II” arrived in theaters, ticket gross sales have been operating about 25% behind pre-pandemic ranges.

Michael O’Leary, president and chief government of the Nationwide Affiliation of Theatre Homeowners, mentioned the weekend confirmed what’s doable when “all of the items of the puzzle come collectively” in compelling big-budget motion pictures with advertising and marketing muscle.

“We’re very optimistic that this weekend is the beginning of what we imagine is a full-on cost into the long run,” he mentioned. “The remaining quarter of this yr seems to be very promising after which on into 2025 and 2026. We’re hoping subsequent yr is the primary type of regular yr this trade has had in a very long time.”

Just like the final time such anticipated motion pictures collided on the discharge calendar — as in 2023’s much-ballyhooed “Barbenheimer” — the film trade once more may see proof of a rising moviegoing tide lifting all blockbusters. Lately, studios have sometimes tried to area out most of their greatest releases. Earlier this fall, “Venom: The Final Dance,” for instance, was the No. 1 film for three straight weeks, regardless of not being significantly profitable.

“For a protracted, very long time in Hollywood, there’s been a perception that you just don’t put massive blockbuster motion pictures up towards one another,” mentioned O’Leary. “However the fact of the matter is that competitors is nice. It’s good for the flicks. It’s good for the studios. It’s good for the theater homeowners. But it surely’s significantly good for the moviegoing public.”