DISNEY’S animated drama “Mufasa: The Lion King” reigned over North America’s box office this weekend, surpassing “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” to start the new year with an estimated US$23.8 million take, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported Sunday.
The showing pushed “Mufasa” to a domestic total of US$168.6 million over three weekends, propelling it into the top 15 of 2024 releases, Variety reported.
With an additional US$307 million earned internationally, the Barry Jenkins-directed film appears on track to reach the half-billion-dollar mark.
“Sonic”, the Paramount action comedy about a speedy blue hedgehog, slowed a bit as the year-end holiday season wound down in the United States and Canada, taking in US$21.2 million for the Friday-through-Sunday period.
The videogame-based film has now compiled US$187.5 million in domestic ticket sales and US$148 million abroad, for a total of US$333.5 million.
Focus Film’s vampire pic “Nosferatu” — the latest remake of the 1922 silent classic inspired by Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” — held tight in third place at US$13.2 million.
Down one spot from last weekend was Disney blockbuster “Moana 2”, at US$12.4 million.
With accumulated ticket sales of US$425 million domestically and US$535 million overseas, its US$960 million total puts it on the verge of passing “Despicable Me 4” (US$969 million) as the third top-grossing release of 2024 and brings it close to the US$1 billion milestone.
In fifth place, also down one spot from last weekend, was Universal’s musical fantasy “Wicked”. This latest take on the magical world of Oz logged ticket sales of US$10.2 million, even after becoming available for on-demand video viewing.
Rounding out the top 10 were:
“A Complete Unknown” (US$8.1 million)
“Babygirl” (US$4.5 million)
“Gladiator II” (US$2.7 million)
“Homestead” (US$2.1 million)
“The Fire Inside” (US$1.2 million) – AFP
