Walt Disney’s animated sequel “Moana 2” made a strong impression at the box office, earning an estimated $368 million in global ticket sales by Sunday. This release, paired with “Wicked” and “Gladiator II,” led to the largest Thanksgiving weekend ever recorded in U.S. and Canadian box office history.
Continuing the story from the 2016 hit, “Moana 2” features Auli’i Cravalho reprising her role as Moana alongside Dwayne Johnson as the demigod Maui. The plot centers on their journey to break a curse and bring together the ocean’s inhabitants.
Originally considered for Disney+ streaming, the film achieved a remarkable $221 million in domestic sales over the Thanksgiving holiday period from Wednesday to Sunday, surpassing “Frozen 2’s” 2019 holiday revenue of $125 million.
The overall box office for the weekend reached $420 million, breaking the previous Thanksgiving record of $315.6 million set in 2018 by “Ralph Breaks the Internet” and “Creed II.” These strong numbers offer a much-needed boost for Hollywood studios and theaters, which experienced challenges during the pandemic and media industry strikes.
Disney Entertainment Co-Chairman Alan Bergman remarked that audiences will return to theaters if the film resonates with them in terms of heart and humor. This strong performance suggests that the film industry is recovering from the disruptions caused by last year’s strikes.
“Moana 2″’s success complements the performance of other films, such as “Wicked,” which grossed $117.5 million over Thanksgiving and has reached a global total of $359.2 million, and Paramount’s “Gladiator II,” which earned $44 million domestically to exceed a global total of $320 million.
Despite the positive weekend, year-to-date domestic box office sales remain about 24% lower than pre-pandemic levels, with overall domestic sales for 2024 still lagging behind those of 2023. However, Paul Dergarabedian, a senior media analyst at Comscore, anticipates that the excitement generated this weekend will lead to continued strong ticket sales in the upcoming weeks, especially with several highly anticipated films set to release in December, including “Kraven the Hunter,” the animated “Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim,” “Sonic the Hedgehog 3,” and “Mufasa: The Lion King.”
This resurgence in box office success not only signifies a rebound for theaters but also hints at a promising future for the film industry, encouraging both studios and audiences to engage with cinema once again.
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