As someone who grew up watching Disney animations and has cherished every moment spent in movie theaters, I must say that the box office success of “Moana 2” and other recent releases like “Wicked” and “Gladiator II” is nothing short of exhilarating! The sheer scale of these films’ earnings and the revival they bring to the struggling cinema industry is a testament to their quality and the enduring power of storytelling.

In its ongoing streak of success, “Moana 2” from Walt Disney Animation Studios raked in an impressive $28 million over Thanksgiving weekend. This substantial earnings boosted the spirits of a film industry that has been relatively low on triumphs for quite some time.

As a cinephile, I’m thrilled to share that the animated sequel is on course to rake in at least $175 million during the five-day holiday week, surpassing the previous milestones set by “Frozen II” ($125 million in 2019) and “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” ($109 million in 2013). Competitor studios anticipate it could even climb higher, potentially ending its first five days with over $200 million domestically. Currently, “Moana 2” has amassed a staggering $85.5 million within the U.S., breaking records for top-grossing Thanksgiving releases, outperforming the $15 million grossed by “Frozen 2” five years ago.

Apart from “Moana 2,” other films like Universal’s “Wicked” and Paramount’s “Gladiator II” are driving a revival at the box office. Both movies, which premiered last weekend, have been drawing large audiences, earning $16.9 million and $6.7 million on Thanksgiving respectively. The musical adaptation “Wicked” is expected to earn around $105.6 million over the five-day holiday period, while “Gladiator II,” a long-awaited sequel to an action classic from the Clinton era, is projected to bring in about $45 million during the same timeframe. Given their high production costs, both films need to keep attracting substantial audiences. With a combined budget of $300 million for “Wicked” (split between two parts), and a $250 million budget for “Gladiator II,” which faced delays due to the 2023 actor’s strike, marketing costs, typically exceeding $100 million for movies of this scale, mean these studios are risking significant sums. By the end of the holiday season, “Gladiator II” is expected to have made approximately $112.2 million domestically, while “Wicked” should have amassed around $250.6 million in North America.

Initially, “Moana 2” wasn’t planned as a theater release. Instead, it was initially designed as a Disney+ series. However, due to some creative changes, it evolved into a full-length feature film. The first “Moana” was launched in 2016 and did well at the box office, grossing $687.2 million worldwide. But Disney’s decision to make a sequel was largely influenced by the movie’s popularity on streaming platforms, where it became one of their most-watched films.

With theaters, the arrival of high-budget blockbusters at this moment couldn’t be more timely. The exhibition industry has been struggling due to the COVID pandemic, which forced cinemas to close for months and made some audiences hesitant to go back to their local movie theaters even as restrictions lifted. To make matters worse, last year’s Hollywood strikes, where both screenwriters and performers joined picket lines, halted production, leaving studios with fewer films to show in theaters. Theater owners are hopeful that these impressive Thanksgiving box office numbers will mark the start of a long-term recovery.

However, it seems that this year’s winter holidays might not be as bustling with excitement. In December, movies like “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” from Paramount and Disney’s “Mufasa: The Lion King” will hit the screens, but unlike previous years, there won’t be a highly anticipated movie such as “Avatar” or a significant Marvel production to create a festive atmosphere in cinemas.

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2024-11-29 19:16