‘Moana 2’ Breaks Box Office Records This Thanksgiving

Disney’s highly anticipated animated sequel Moana 2 has made a spectacular debut at the box office, riding a wave of strong earnings throughout the Thanksgiving weekend. With the voices of Auli’i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson reprising their beloved roles, Moana 2 has set new records and taken the lead in a competitive holiday movie season, eclipsing previous box office performances, including those of its predecessor, Frozen II.

According to The Numbers, Moana 2 pulled in an impressive $57.5 million on its opening day, Wednesday, November 27, from over 4,200 North American theaters. The momentum continued on Thanksgiving Day, with an additional $28 million in earnings, and even stronger results on Black Friday, which saw the movie rake in $54.5 million. These substantial numbers have propelled the movie to new heights, with Deadline projecting that Moana 2 will earn between $215 million and $220 million over the entire long Thanksgiving weekend, far surpassing expectations.

With its record-breaking success, Moana 2 has shattered the previous record for the highest Thanksgiving weekend opening, previously held by Disney’s Frozen II. Released in 2019, Frozen II grossed $125 million during its five-day debut, which has now been eclipsed by the highly anticipated sequel. Even with the lower-end estimates, Moana 2’s projected domestic gross of $215 million will be enough to break another remarkable record—the all-time record for the biggest five-day opening for any film. That honor was previously held by Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment’s animated blockbuster The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which earned $204.6 million in its opening frame back in April 2023. This makes Moana 2 the new frontrunner for the largest-ever opening over a five-day period.

While Moana 2 enjoys its triumph, the Thanksgiving weekend has also been a strong one for other films that continue to perform well at the box office. Wicked, the highly anticipated film adaptation of the Broadway musical, holds its ground firmly against the tsunami-like success of Moana 2. The film opened in the top spot at the domestic box office last week and continues to attract sizable audiences. As per Deadline’s estimates, Wicked is expected to earn approximately $118 million over the five-day Thanksgiving weekend. If the estimates hold true, this will bring the film’s domestic tally to $262.6 million, bolstering its strong performance since it opened on November 22.

Similarly, Gladiator II, Paramount Pictures’ sequel to the iconic 2000 film Gladiator, continues to hold its position in the top five. The film is projected to make $45 million over the Thanksgiving weekend, placing it in the No. 3 slot at the box office. If these projections come to fruition, Gladiator II’s domestic gross will reach a solid $112.2 million by the end of the holiday period. The film’s performance continues to reflect strong demand, even as Moana 2 dominates the box office landscape.

Meanwhile, Amazon MGM Studios’ Christmas action-comedy Red One rounds out the top four. Projected to earn $19 million over the Thanksgiving weekend, Red One has seen a steady stream of viewers at 3,344 theaters. This will bring the film’s domestic earnings to an estimated $76.3 million by the end of the long holiday weekend. The film’s holiday-themed narrative has resonated with audiences, helping it secure a top position among the weekend’s top performers.

Finally, the family-friendly Best Christmas Pageant Ever, distributed by Lionsgate, claims the No. 5 spot with an expected $5 million in earnings over the five-day period. With these results, the film will boost its domestic gross to $32.2 million. The holiday comedy’s solid performance is a testament to the ongoing popularity of seasonal films that cater to family audiences.

As the Thanksgiving weekend draws to a close, the box office race is far from over, with more updates expected as final figures are tallied. Industry experts are keeping a close watch on the box office performance of Moana 2, Wicked, and Gladiator II, as well as the potential for other films to make a surge in the coming weeks. With the holiday movie season now in full swing, there’s anticipation for additional box office records to be broken and for more films to jockey for position as the end-of-year holiday season approaches.

The final domestic box office numbers for the weekend will be released on Monday, providing a complete picture of how Moana 2 and its competitors performed across the holiday stretch. Until then, Disney’s animated sequel has firmly established itself as the dominant force in theaters, riding high on the tide of success and attracting large audiences eager to relive the magic of the original Moana film, with new adventures in store.

For now, Moana 2 stands tall as the reigning champion of the holiday box office, and the industry will be watching closely as its earnings continue to grow and surpass records. With such a powerful debut, Moana 2 is poised to dominate the charts and continue making waves long after the Thanksgiving weekend concludes.