By Daybreak Chmielewski and Lisa Richwine
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -Walt Disney (NYSE:)’s animated musical “Moana 2” debuted with an estimated $368 million in international ticket gross sales by way of Sunday and mixed with “Depraved” and “Gladiator II” to ship the largest Thanksgiving weekend in U.S. and Canadian field workplace historical past.
A sequel to the 2016 animated movie, “Moana 2” reunites Auli’i Cravalho because the wayfinding title character with demigod Maui, voiced by Dwayne Johnson, on a voyage to interrupt a curse and reunite the folks of the ocean.
Initially envisioned as a collection for the Disney+ streaming service, “Moana 2” racked up a report $221 million from home ticket gross sales over the Thanksgiving interval from Wednesday by way of Sunday. That surpassed “Frozen 2’s” vacation haul of $125 million in 2019.
For all motion pictures in theaters this weekend, the home complete hit $420 million, smashing the 2018 Thanksgiving report of $315.6 million led by “Ralph Breaks the Web” and “Creed II.”
The outcomes supplied Hollywood studios and cinemas a purpose to have a good time after extended closures through the COVID-19 pandemic and considerations that audiences would possibly abandon theaters in favor of staying house to look at streaming TV.
“For those who make the precise film, a film with coronary heart and humor that appeals to audiences, they’ll come to the theater,” Disney Leisure Co-Chairman Alan Bergman stated at a current “Moana 2” screening in Los Angeles.
The figures additionally confirmed Hollywood had rebounded from disruptions brought on by strikes by writers and actors final 12 months. Chains reminiscent of AMC Leisure (NYSE:) and Cineworld had been left with a skinny schedule for moviegoers within the first half of 2024.
“Depraved,” the difference of a beloved Broadway musical that could be a prequel to “The Wizard of Oz,” introduced in $117.5 million over Thanksgiving. Its international complete after two weekends in theaters reached $359.2 million, distributor Common Footage stated.
Paramount Footage’ motion epic “Gladiator II,” the sequel to a finest image winner twenty years in the past, hauled in $44 million domestically over the vacation and introduced its international complete to $320 million.
Earlier than the weekend, year-to-date home ticket gross sales had hovered practically 11% behind the identical level in 2023, in line with information from Comscore. The Thanksgiving tally narrowed the deficit to six.4%.
Nonetheless, the receipts remained considerably beneath pre-pandemic ranges. By Sunday, home ticket gross sales for 2024 had been roughly 24% decrease than the tempo of 2019.
Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore, stated the frenzy at theaters this weekend would doubtless gasoline sturdy gross sales within the coming weeks. He cited quite a lot of potential hits reaching theaters in December to “assist the business take the 12 months out on a excessive notice.”
They embrace “Kraven the Hunter,” the animated “Lord of the Rings: the Struggle of the Rohirrim,” “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” and “Mufasa: The Lion King,” he stated.
