Sat Nov 30 06:52:29 UTC 2024: ## Box Office Bonanza: “Moana 2” Leads Thanksgiving Weekend Surge

**LOS ANGELES** – Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Moana 2” dominated the Thanksgiving box office, raking in a staggering $28 million on Thursday alone and propelling a much-needed resurgence for the film industry. The sequel is projected to earn over $200 million domestically within its first five days, shattering previous records held by “Frozen II” and “Hunger Games: Catching Fire.” This surpasses even the most optimistic industry predictions; the film has already earned $85.5 million stateside and set a new Thanksgiving record.

“Moana 2’s” success isn’t an isolated incident. Universal’s “Wicked” and Paramount’s “Gladiator II,” both released the previous weekend, continued strong performances, earning $16.9 million and $6.7 million respectively on Thanksgiving. “Wicked” is expected to gross $105.6 million over the five-day holiday, while “Gladiator II” is projected to reach $45 million. However, both films represent substantial financial investments – “Wicked” cost $300 million to produce (for the two-part series), and “Gladiator II,” hampered by production delays due to the 2023 actors’ strike, carries a $250 million budget. Marketing costs add significantly to these figures, highlighting the high stakes involved.

The strong performance of these films offers a much-needed boost to the exhibition industry, still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic and last year’s Hollywood strikes. Exhibitors are hopeful this Thanksgiving success signals a sustained box office rebound.

However, the outlook for the winter holidays appears less promising. While anticipated releases like “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” and Disney’s “Mufasa: The Lion King” are slated for December, the lack of major tentpole releases like an “Avatar” sequel or a new Marvel film could temper the festive box office spirit. The success of “Moana 2,” and its unexpected journey from Disney+ series to blockbuster film, presents a compelling case study for the industry as it navigates the evolving landscape of film distribution and audience expectations.

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