This year’s year-end holiday marquee was less crowded than usual, and there were no Star Wars or Avatarbut Hollywood studios believe there is still enough fun at the box office.
The operation will officially begin on December 20, when Paramount will Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and disney Mufasa: The Lion King First appearance in the domestic office. Both movies are rated PG, which is a huge plus for appealing to families.
Sonic The film, which has become a marquee franchise for Paramount and video game maker Sega, is widely expected to gross $60 million during its three-day opening weekend (exhibitors believe the film is expected to reach $70 million USD), followed by mufasa $50 million. Both films are also being released overseas.
The Christmas aisle is a most unusual time of year at the box office. That’s because every day from New Year’s Day through could look like a Saturday or Sunday, causing the multiple to be unusually large, and a relatively quiet January further fueled the multiple’s growth.
outside Star WarsChristmas movies aren’t exactly known for their big openings. even Avatar and “Avatar: The Way of Water” It didn’t break any records when it debuted, and kept playing until it became the #1 and #3 highest-grossing film of all time worldwide (not accounting for inflation).
Sonic 3 Director Jeff Fowler and returning actors Jim Carrey, Ben Schwartz, James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, Idris Elba, Colin O’Shaughnessy, Natasha Rothwell, Seamus Moore, Adam Perry and Lee Majdoub reunite. Keanu Reeves joins the series as Shadow the Hedgehog, and other series newcomers include Alela Brown and Krysten Ritter.
The story follows the team of Sonic, Knuckles and Tails as they face their most powerful opponent yet, a mysterious villain with powers they’ve never encountered before. With Team Sonic outclassed in every aspect, they must find an unlikely alliance to stop Shadow and protect Earth.
Sonic 3 It was well-received by critics – casting Reeves was a smooth move – and received an 88% rating from the series’ best critics on Rotten Tomatoes (compared to 64% and 68% respectively).
mufasa Directed by Barry Jenkins, with original songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda. It’s also getting better reviews than in 2019 so far lion kingThe film has grossed over $1 billion worldwide, but is definitely a mixed bag (currently sitting at 60% on Rotten Tomatoes).
A musical origin story mufasa It tells the story of two cubs (Mufasa and Taka) who form a strong bond and become as close as brothers. Then a threatening enemy tests their bond and forces them on an adventure that changes their fate and their friendship.
The film combines live-action filmmaking techniques with realistic computer-generated imagery and features an all-star voice cast including Aaron Pierre, Kelvin Harrison Jr., John Carney, Tiffany Boone, Kagiso… Lediga, Preston Nyman and Mads Mikkelsen, among others.
When it comes to awards, Paramount continues to expand September 5while A24 arranged a special advance screening of up to 3.5 hours fauvism The film will be released in Imax theaters on December 18, and then in select theaters over the weekend of December 20-22.
Universal Pictures launches vampire horror fantasy film Nosferatu nationwide on Christmas Day to take advantage of the five-day holiday weekend (Wednesday to Sunday). The film, starring Lily Rose Depp, Nicholas Hopper and Bill Skarsgård, is expected to gross between $10 million and $20 million.
Many other award contenders will also be trying to use the long holiday weekend to their advantage, including the high-profile category baby girlStarring Nicole Kidman, A24 will release on Christmas Day with Amazon MGM Pictures There’s fire insidewritten by Barry Jenkins. Searchlight will play slower and only open Timothée Chalamet’s Bob Dylan biopic Complete online Opening in select theaters on December 25.
thanksgiving blockbuster moana 2 (Walt Disney Animation) and evil (Universal) should also make a significant contribution to the Christmas coffers.
Disney’s box office has rebounded significantly this year, with 2024 domestic box office revenue surpassing the $2 billion mark on Thursday, a feat no other studio is expected to match this year. Overseas, Disney’s revenue is close to US$3 billion, with annual revenue exceeding US$5 billion, setting an industry record. The next closest domestic studio is Universal Pictures, with over $1.7 billion in domestic box office revenue (Universal took the domestic and global market share crowns from Disney last year, something no studio has been able to do in years) .
Domestic revenue so far in 2024 is 4.6% behind 2023, according to Comscore. That’s a significant improvement from before Thanksgiving, when the deficit was 11% in mid-November. Final revenue for the year in North America is expected to be $8.6 billion or higher, but it all depends on the final stretch of Christmas.
London-based Gower Street Analytics is more optimistic, predicting that domestic revenue will reach $8.8 billion in 2024 and international box office will reach $21.7 billion, for a global total of $30.5, significantly lower than 2023’s $34 billion. Others predict that the revenue will be realized in 2025, which means global revenue will reach 33 billion US dollars.
