The typically quiet post-Thanksgiving weekend has become a bustling cinema festival in an unexpected turn of events. Major films like Disney’s Moana 2 and Universal’s Wicked have delivered remarkable box office results, virtually tripling last year’s figures.
The weekend’s total film grosses were around $135 million, potentially representing the highest theatre attendance since 2012. Disney’s animated sequel Moana 2 led the way with a strong second weekend, grossing $52 million and boosting its domestic ticket sales to over $300 million in just 12 days. Its worldwide total has already surpassed $600 million.
Close behind, Wicked continued its strong run with about $35 million in its third weekend, reaching $320 million domestically. While the film’s overseas earnings have been modest, it will likely gross well over $500 million internationally.
Paramount’s Gladiator II earned more than $12 million, bringing its domestic total to $132.7 million. Meanwhile, Amazon MGM’s Red One finished fourth with $7 million. Despite slightly higher-than-usual post-holiday drops—Moana 2 sank 63% and Wicked dropped 57%—the results are still strong for this time of year.
The weekend also showcased the range of current cinema. Notable entrants included Pusha — The Rule: Part 2, a Telugu-language action sequel that grossed $4.9 million, and an IMAX re-release of Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar, which earned $4.4 million from just 165 locations.
Smaller and more specialized films varied the weekend’s lineup. Paul Schrader’s Oh, Canada grossed $33,000 in three New York cinemas, while Bad Shabbos, a Tribeca premiere comedy, earned $13,400 in a single Miami theatre.
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According to industry observers, top performers such as Moana 2 and Wicked, made with around $150 million budgets, are on course to earn significant profits. Larger budget films, such as Gladiator II and Red One, which cost more than $250 million, must still demonstrate financial viability.
This weekend’s high result indicates a potentially rejuvenated theatrical business, providing hope for an industry still adapting to changing entertainment consumption patterns.
