‘Mufasa’ Box Office: ‘The Lion King’ Prequel Scores $87 Million Internationally, $122 Million Globally

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As a movie aficionado with decades of cinema under my belt, I must admit that I was quite eager to witness the magic of “Mufasa,” especially given its pedigree and the success of its predecessor. However, it seems that this prequel has failed to capture the essence of what made “The Lion King” remake so captivating. Despite its impressive opening numbers, falling short of expectations is a bitter pill for any filmmaker to swallow, especially when you consider the hefty price tag associated with such a production.

The film ‘Mufasa’ has dominated the worldwide box office, however, the prequel to ‘The Lion King’, currently in live action, seems to lack the sharpness that Disney’s previous live-action remakes have shown.

In a surprising turn of events, the prequel to Jon Favreau’s 2019 photorealistic “The Lion King” remake, titled “Mufasa,” earned $87.2 million overseas and an additional $122 million globally in its opening weekend. Despite these sales placing it at the top of worldwide box office charts, the film fell significantly short of its projected earnings. Initial predictions estimated that it would make $130 million overseas and a staggering $180 million globally. Moreover, “Mufasa” failed to meet expectations in North America, only managing to secure $35 million in ticket sales and finishing second behind Paramount’s “Sonic the Hedgehog 3,” which raked in $62 million. It is worth noting that the third “Sonic” adventure will not open internationally until December 25th.

Initially, China led as the largest market for “Mufasa”, generating a revenue of approximately $7.8 million, closely followed by France at around $7.7 million. Mexico and the United Kingdom also posted strong figures, with Mexico bringing in about $7.1 million and the United Kingdom contributing $5.5 million to the global sales of “Mufasa”.

Barry Jenkins, famous for his Academy Award-winning “Moonlight,” is the director behind “Mufasa,” a prequel focusing on the early life of the future leader of the Pride Lands. This story unfolds before the events of Jon Favreau’s “The Lion King,” which grossed an impressive $1.66 billion worldwide, despite receiving mixed criticism from reviewers.

Titled “Mufasa”, this movie, which has received mixed reviews, boasts music by Lin-Manuel Miranda, creator of “Hamilton”. The voice cast includes Aaron Pierre and Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Mufasa and Scar, with Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, Mads Mikkelsen, and Blue Ivy Carter completing the impressive lineup. Given its hefty production budget exceeding $200 million, Disney hopes that “Mufasa” will maintain its presence through the new year to validate its expense and extend Disney’s box office success following “Inside Out 2”, “Deadpool & Wolverine”, and “Moana 2”.

In other news, “Moana 2” amassed an extra $32.8 million from 52 different regions during the weekend. Initially intended for streaming, this sequel has instead turned into a massive hit on the big screen, earning $431 million internationally and over $790.2 million worldwide. It’s looking likely that it will join Disney’s three 2024 releases to surpass the billion-dollar mark.

In other international markets, Universal’s film adaptation of “Wicked” has earned an additional $12.6 million from 81 different locations. Featuring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, this high-priced musical has so far grossed $383 million in the U.S. and a total of $571 million globally. Currently, it ranks as the second most successful worldwide adaptation of a Broadway production, trailing behind 2008’s “Mamma Mia” with its earnings of $611 million.

The second installment of “Gladiator” by Paramount, titled “Gladiator II”, made a weekend revenue of $5.4 million, raising its foreign total to $262.3 million. After 25 years in production, this sequel to Ridley Scott’s 2000 Academy Award-winning film “Gladiator” has amassed a global earnings of $416 million, generating significant profits for cinema owners. However, the movie will not be turning a profit for Paramount, who invested over $250 million to revisit the arena.

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2024-12-22 19:46