NEW YORK — In the heated competition of high-budget family films this holiday season, “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” from Paramount Pictures has outperformed Disney’s latest offering, “Mufasa: The Lion King,” taking the lead at the box office just in time for Christmas.
Opening with $62 million in ticket revenue over the past weekend, “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” garnered positive reviews, achieving an 86% score on Rotten Tomatoes, and an impressive “A” grade from CinemaScore audiences. This positions the film strongly as a favored option for viewers during this prime time for moviegoing.
The success of “Sonic 3,” which had a production budget of $122 million, reflects a significant trend in the film industry, showing that video game adaptations are increasingly becoming reliable box office hits. The first two films in the Sonic franchise amassed over $700 million globally, and the third installment seems poised to surpass that performance. Additionally, a fourth movie is already on the drawing board.
Conversely, “Mufasa: The Lion King” struggled during its debut, bringing in $35 million in domestic revenue, which fell short of expectations. Despite being shown in over 4,100 theaters, including a majority of IMAX screens, the film couldn’t match the surge of “Sonic 3,” which debuted in 3,761 locations. Although the film received a mixed critical reception with a low 56% on Rotten Tomatoes, audiences awarded it a more favorable “A-” CinemaScore.
From a financial standpoint, “Sonic 3” nearly doubled “Mufasa’s” revenue, especially considering that “Mufasa” had a hefty budget exceeding $200 million. To assist in recuperating costs, Disney may look to international ticket sales, which are estimated at $87.2 million. The release of “Sonic 3” in various international markets is also anticipated in the upcoming weeks.
Director Jeff Fowler has once again enlisted Ben Schwartz to voice Sonic, supported by the return of Colleen O’Shaughnessey as Tails, Idris Elba as Knuckles, and Jim Carrey playing dual roles as Dr. Robotnik and his grandfather.
In contrast, “Mufasa” is helmed by Barry Jenkins and features a star-studded voice cast including Aaron Pierre, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Donald Glover, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, Mads Mikkelsen, and Blue Ivy Carter. As a prequel to the 2019 photorealistic remake of “The Lion King,” which earned an impressive $1.66 billion worldwide despite mixed reviews, “Mufasa” noticeably fell short of that film’s debut, which netted $191 million on opening weekend.
Chris Aronson, distribution head for Paramount, expressed confidence in both films stating that the marketplace could accommodate both releases.
Looking ahead, no significant franchise films are set to debut this Christmas, with the most notable release being “A Complete Unknown,” starring Timothee Chalamet as Bob Dylan. This absence suggests that “Sonic 3” could enjoy multiple weeks at the top.
Despite a 13% dip in the family audience compared to “Sonic 2,” which had a 59% family demographic, Aronson believes that as the winter season progresses, “Sonic” will continue to dominate.
While Disney has experienced setbacks with some live-action adaptations such as “Dumbo,” “Mulan,” and “The Little Mermaid,” others like “Aladdin” and “Beauty and the Beast” have thrived. More adaptations are on the way, including new versions of “Snow White” and “Lilo & Stitch,” among others.
Despite the disappointing start for “Mufasa,” Disney is reveling in a successful year at the box office, having surpassed $5 billion in ticket sales globally, boasting hits including “Inside Out 2” and “Deadpool and Wolverine.” Their animated project “Moana 2” is also contributing significantly, currently at $790.2 million worldwide after only four weeks.
The Christmas season typically features some of the year’s biggest film releases, but the strong box office during Thanksgiving was notably driven by films like “Moana 2” and Universal’s “Wicked,” which is now in its fifth weekend, achieving third place with an addition of $13.5 million, raising its total to $383.9 million in the U.S. alone.
Hollywood is showing clear signs of recovery in 2024. After a slower start to the year, the box office revenues are nearly matching those from 2023, with the gap now at just 4.4% lower than last year’s figures. Although still trailing behind pre-pandemic levels, this recovery offers hope for a renewal in theatrical attendance.
Family-orientated films like “Inside Out 2,” “Moana 2,” and “Sonic 3” have been pivotal to this recovery. Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for Comscore, indicated that animated films have comprised 26.5% of this year’s box office revenues, solidifying their importance.
The latest release from Christian-themed Angel Studios, titled “Homestead,” debuted with $6.1 million, focusing on doomsday preppers seeking refuge following a nuclear disaster.
Additionally, “The Brutalist,” a film by Brady Corbet which is considered a significant contender for the Oscars, started its run in four theaters in New York and Los Angeles with an outstanding average of $66,698 per screen. This three-and-a-half-hour post-World War II drama, starring Adrien Brody, is being positioned by A24 as an exclusive arthouse event. The film is nominated for seven Golden Globe awards.
Final box office figures for the weekend will be released on Monday, but the current estimated ticket sales from Friday to Sunday at theaters in the U.S. and Canada are as follows:
1. “Sonic the Hedgehog 3,” $62 million.
2. “Mufasa: The Lion King,” $35 million.
3. “Wicked,” $13.5 million.
4. “Moana 2,” $13.1 million.
5. “Homestead,” $6.1 million.
6. “Gladiator II,” $4.5 million.
7. “Kraven the Hunter,” $3.1 million.
8. “Red One,” $1.4 million.
9. “Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim,” $1.3 million.
10. “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever,” $825,000.
