Sat Dec 07 00:10:26 UTC 2024: **Thanksgiving Box Office Shatters Records with “Moana 2,” “Wicked,” and “Gladiator 2” Domination**

**Los Angeles, CA** – This Thanksgiving weekend saw movie theaters packed, as the combined power of Disney’s “Moana 2,” Universal’s “Wicked,” and Paramount’s “Gladiator 2” propelled the five-day domestic box office to a record-breaking $420 million. This surpasses the previous record of $315.6 million set in 2018.

“Moana 2” led the charge, achieving the highest-grossing five-day opening ever with $221 million domestically, eclipsing even “The Super Mario Bros. Movie”‘s 2023 record. Disney executives celebrated the film’s phenomenal success, exceeding even their optimistic projections.

“Wicked” and “Gladiator 2,” both released on November 22nd, contributed significantly, earning $80 million and $30.7 million respectively over the weekend, and boosting their domestic totals to $262.4 million and $111.2 million. The pairing of these two films has quickly become known as “Glicked,” echoing the summer’s “Barbenheimer” phenomenon.

Analysts attribute the massive success to a fortuitous (or strategic) confluence of three highly anticipated films catering to diverse audiences – family animation, musical fantasy, and epic historical action. The strong theatrical marketing campaigns employed by the studios also played a crucial role, resulting in 75% of all showtimes being dedicated to these three top performers.

While “Red One” and “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” rounded out the top five, the success of the leading trio is expected to continue for weeks, with minimal direct competition on the horizon. Further boosting the box office’s longevity are planned interactive sing-along screenings of “Wicked” starting December 25th, and the ongoing high demand for tickets, leading to extended showtimes and potentially further box office growth. Industry experts anticipate a sustained boost to the overall year-end box office numbers, far exceeding initial predictions. The success highlights the continued complementary relationship between the big screen experience and home streaming services.

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