Wed Nov 27 19:00:53 UTC 2024: **Thanksgiving Box Office Poised for Post-Pandemic High Thanks to Trio of Blockbusters**

**Los Angeles, CA –** Movie theaters are gearing up for their biggest Thanksgiving weekend since the pandemic, with projections exceeding $200 million in ticket sales. This surge is attributed to the simultaneous release of three major films: Disney’s “Moana 2,” Universal’s “Wicked,” and Paramount’s “Gladiator II.” Box office analysts predict “Moana 2” alone could generate between $120 million and $150 million domestically through Sunday.

Industry experts are calling this a “perfect storm,” noting that a Thanksgiving trifecta of this magnitude has been absent in the post-pandemic era. The last time Thanksgiving box office receipts topped $200 million was in 2019. While 2018 held the record with $315 million, this year’s combined revenue could potentially place the weekend as the second or third highest-grossing Thanksgiving period in history.

The strong performance is especially significant for Disney, whose recent animated releases have underperformed compared to pre-pandemic years. While previous Thanksgiving releases like “Moana,” “Coco,” and “Frozen II” generated substantial revenue, more recent films like “Strange World” and “Wish” fell short of expectations. The success of “Moana 2” is anticipated to reverse this trend, building on the popularity of the original film and the recent success of “Inside Out 2.”

This Thanksgiving weekend is crucial for the film industry, as it often sets the tone for the year-end box office performance. The success or failure of this period significantly influences the overall annual revenue and industry perception.

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