As a seasoned cinema enthusiast who has witnessed the rise and fall of many a blockbuster, I must say that the upcoming box office battle between “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” and “Mufasa: The Lion King” has piqued my curiosity. The successor to the beloved video game franchise seems poised to outshine its Disney counterpart in North America, but the international market could be a different story altogether.

Instead of “Wicked” and “Gladiator II,” it’s expected that “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” and “Mufasa: The Lion King” will engage in a fierce competition for another action-packed weekend at the box office.

In simpler terms, the third installment of Paramount’s “Sonic” movie earned $6.5 million at the box office on Thursday night. The preview earnings for Disney’s “The Lion King” prequel are expected to be announced later today.

The competition at the box office is expected to be tight, but “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” is projected to lead domestically with earnings of $55 million to $60 million this weekend. On the other hand, “Mufasa: The Lion King” is projected to make around $50 million in North America, but it’s expected to take over at the international box office, bringing in an estimated $130 million overseas for a total global debut of approximately $180 million. Notably, “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” won’t open internationally until Christmas Day.

Back in February 2020, I was blown away when the first “Sonic the Hedgehog” movie raked in an impressive $3 million during its Thursday previews. Come opening weekend, it smashed expectations with a whopping $58 million take. Even amidst the challenging circumstances of a pandemic, this film managed to gather a staggering global total of $319 million. More recently, in April 2022, I watched as its sequel earned an impressive $6.25 million on its debut day, paving the way for an opening weekend haul of $72 million and eventually a global collection of $405 million.

Disney’s July 2019 remake of “The Lion King” made quite an impact in its previews, earning a whopping $23 million. The highly realistic film continued to impress with a massive opening weekend of $191 million and has amassed a total of $1.66 billion so far, placing it among the top 10 highest-grossing movies ever made.

As a movie critic, I’m not surprised by the lower box office earnings this season. Sequels and prequels often experience decreasing popularity as they continue, a trend we’ve seen in many films. Compared to guaranteed blockbusters like “Avatar: The Way of Water” and “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” December releases typically don’t reach the same astronomical success.

Jeff Fowler is back at the helm for “Sonic 3,” where Keanu Reeves joins the crew as the villainous Shadow the Hedgehog. Interestingly, Jim Carrey takes on two roles in this movie: both Dr. Ivo Robotnik and his grandfather Gerald Robotnik. Ben Schwartz lends his voice to our speedy hero, Sonic, while James Marsden, Idris Elba, Tika Sumpter, among others, complete the talented cast.

The film “The Lion King,” directed by Barry Jenkins, narrates the tale of two lions, initially companions named Mufasa (voiced by Aaron Pierre) and Scar (Kelvin Harrison Jr.), who later become adversaries. Alongside them are Donald Glover, Beyonce, Mads Mikkelsen, and other talented actors.

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2024-12-20 18:46