Moana 2 Sets New Box Office Record, Surpassing Wicked Over Thanksgiving Weekend
Credit: Pixabay
Disney’s Moana 2 Soars to New Heights, Setting a Festive Box Office Standard!
In a surprising turn of events, Moana 2 has surged past expectations and crushed the competition, taking the top spot at the box office this Thanksgiving weekend. The Disney sequel made an incredible $386.3 million globally, with $221 million of that coming from domestic sales alone. This marks a new Thanksgiving record, leaving Wicked, the highly anticipated film adaptation of the Broadway musical, trailing behind with $117.5 million over the same period.
Moana 2 not only conquered the box office but also shattered the previous Thanksgiving record held by The Hunger Games: Catching Fire ($109.9 million in 2013). The sequel picks up Moana’s story, now a leader of her voyaging village, as she embarks on an epic journey with a new crew. Auliʻi Cravalho, who voices Moana, has shared that this adventure is bigger than ever, with Moana learning to share the leadership role and face challenges that go beyond just the destination.
#Moana2 pushes UP in actual to $225.5M 5-day domestic debut with global 5-day at $389M
This is the HIGHEST GLOBAL ANIMATED DEBUT EVER surpassing SUPER MARIO BROS
🔥🍿🔥🍿🔥🍿🔥🍿 pic.twitter.com/6mi7f17BqY
— Erick 𝕄𝕄𝕋 Weber 🎥 (@ErickWeber) December 2, 2024
Meanwhile, Wicked, which continues to shine on social media and in fan discussions, has still had a successful run, grossing $117.5 million over the weekend. With stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande leading the way as Elphaba and Glinda, the film adaptation of the beloved Broadway musical has grossed $359.3 million globally so far.
'Moana 2' Blows 'Wicked' Out of the Water with Massive Thanksgiving Weekend Debut https://t.co/T3megBjE26
— lovebscott (@lovebscott) December 2, 2024
Also making waves, Gladiator II, the highly anticipated sequel starring Paul Mescal and Denzel Washington, brought in another $44 million over the weekend, pushing its total earnings to $111.2 million domestically and $320 million globally.
Holiday moviegoers also enjoyed Red One, an action-packed comedy starring Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans, which earned $18.7 million, bringing its global total to $148.6 million. On a more heartwarming note, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever continued to gather holiday cheer, adding $3.2 million to its total.
#Moana2 tops a record-breaking Thanksgiving weekend by raking in a staggering $221M, and #WickedMovie shows no signs of quitting after bringing in $118M. What did you watch on the big screen this weekend? pic.twitter.com/L8I690stva
— Fandango (@Fandango) December 2, 2024
While Moana 2 has clearly stolen the spotlight this holiday season, the competition remains fierce, with musicals and action films alike holding their own. The holiday box office is full of surprises, but one thing is for sure—Moana 2 has made waves, setting a new standard for Thanksgiving weekend releases.
