Sonic 3 box office beats Mufasa: The Lion King in one country

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As a seasoned moviegoer with a soft spot for both animated adventures and nostalgic throwbacks, I must say that Sonic the Hedgehog 3 has truly outshone expectations! The film’s remarkable debut, beating Mufasa: The Lion King in the US, is an impressive feat indeed. Yet, it’s important to remember that this isn’t a David-and-Goliath story; Mufasa has been gracing the silver screen worldwide, while Sonic 3 is just getting started on its global tour!

In one nation, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 has sprinted past other films at the box office, surpassing Mufasa: The Lion King. Yet, it’s worth noting that Disney’s ‘live-action’ prequel, Mufasa: The Lion King, seems to be holding strong in cinemas across different countries for a particular reason.

At a challenging moment in the market, Sonic 3 finds itself competing alongside several notable titles. Apart from Mufasa’s sequel, which was one of the highest-grossing films ever, it faces off against Wicked, Moana 2, and Kraven the Hunter (just a joke), as well as Nosferatu, Babygirl, and A Complete Unknown, all set to premiere soon in cinemas.

Previously released versions of it were undeniably successful, though they didn’t quite reach blockbuster status; however, the 2020 release of Sonic the Hedgehog earned a massive $320 million globally, and its sequel even surpassed that with a gross of $405 million.

Based on its strong start during its premiere weekend, Sonic 3 might maintain its success throughout the upcoming holiday period and potentially surpass Mufasa in terms of total earnings before its run ends.

Sonic 3 box office so far

The Lion King’s $35 million opening weekend earnings.

remarkable achievement indeed for Sonic, although its initial expectations were higher due to the holiday season’s influence. Deadline suggests that the last weekend before Christmas might have caused a slight dip in performance since people tend to focus more on shopping during this period. Nevertheless, experts had anticipated a $50m weekend for the third installment, so it still managed to outperform those expectations.

Although it failed to surpass Sonic 2’s earnings during its first weekend ($72.1 million), this movie has potential to amass up to $290 million in North American box office sales by the end of its cinematic run, setting a new franchise record for earnings.

Why Mufasa is still beating Sonic 3 at the box office

Mufasa’s box office earnings have reached an impressive $122 million worldwide, nearly twice as much as Sonic 3. The main cause for this difference is that Mufasa has been launched globally, whereas Sonic 3 hasn’t been screened in various countries just yet.

Mufasa started in France on December 18, gradually spreading to other regions over the next two days. On the other hand, Sonic 3 was released in the US, Canada, and Norway on December 20, followed by the UK and Ireland on December 21. By now and up until January 17, 2025, it will expand to Europe, Asia, and Australia.

Essentially, it’s a long-haul for its theatrical release, more like a marathon than a short dash. Mufasa is expected to keep ticket sales going during the holiday season, while Sonic 3 might gather considerable speed in foreign markets.

Explore our detailed analysis of the finale in Sonic 3, learn how the film alters Shadow and Maria’s narrative, and delve into our exclusive chat with the director of Sonic 3, where he discusses whether Sonic 4 may follow the storyline from Sonic Heroes.

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2024-12-23 19:04