Jim Carrey in ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’. Image by Paramount Pictures via the Canadian Press.
Two family films led the holiday box office this week, with "Sonic the Hedgehog 3" edging out "Mufasa: The Lion King" by a narrow margin. Paramount's Sonic movie grossed $38 million, while Disney’s "Mufasa" earned $37.1 million across U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to studio estimates on Sunday. Typically, the winner is clear after a regular three-day weekend, but with Christmas falling on a Wednesday this year, studios considered both the five-day holiday total and the weekend figures. Over five days, "Mufasa" took the lead with $63.8 million.
This strong performance signals a healthy theatrical environment, buoyed by the ongoing success of "Wicked" and "Moana 2," which are now in their sixth and fifth weekends, respectively.
The vampire thriller "Nosferatu" also made an impressive debut. Robert Eggers' reimagining of the 1922 silent classic, starring Nicholas Hoult and Lily-Rose Depp, took in $21.2 million over the weekend and $40.3 million over its first five days. Notably, it posted the best Christmas Day opening ever for a genre film, with $11.6 million, surpassing the previous record held by "The Faculty" in 1998. The film’s opening across 2,992 theaters marked a bold decision to release it on Christmas Day, a time typically dominated by family-friendly films and blockbusters. However, the gamble paid off, as the film attracted a strong following among the 18 to 34 demographic.
Lisa Bunnell, Focus Features' distribution head, reflected on the decision, saying, "A lot of people thought we were crazy, but we knew we had such a great film. The more they doubted us, the more we felt it was the right move." The film's success, including collectible sarcophagus-themed popcorn buckets, proves that unconventional strategies can still draw crowds back to theaters. "You don’t just spoon-feed audiences the same things repeatedly," Bunnell said.
The Bob Dylan biopic "A Complete Unknown," directed by James Mangold, also saw a strong start with $11.6 million for the weekend and $23.2 million since Christmas. This five-day total marked a new record for Searchlight Pictures, following Disney’s acquisition of the company in 2019. The film has received high praise from critics and audiences alike, boasting a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an A rating on CinemaScore, which bodes well for its continued success, especially with awards season approaching.
In contrast, the erotic drama "Babygirl," starring Nicole Kidman, earned $4.4 million over the weekend and $7.2 million since Christmas. The A24 release explores a CEO’s affair with a young intern, with Kidman’s performance earning her top acting honors at the Venice Film Festival.
“The Fire Inside,” a sports drama about boxer Claressa Shields, struggled to gain attention, earning just $4.3 million. Despite strong reviews, it failed to stand out in a crowded field, grossing $2 million over the weekend from 2,006 theaters.
As for Thanksgiving releases, "Wicked" held onto fourth place with an additional $19.5 million, bringing its domestic total to $424.2 million. Meanwhile, Disney's "Moana 2" rounded out the top five, grossing $18.2 million. The sequel has now earned $882.5 million globally and is closing in on $400 million in the U.S.
Christmas Day itself was a box office bonanza, bringing in $61 million in ticket sales, with Thursday not far behind at $50 million. "Every day felt like Saturday at the box office this holiday season," noted Paul Dergarabedian, Comscore’s senior media analyst.
Looking ahead, Comscore forecasts domestic box office receipts for the year to total around $8.75 billion, a 3.3% dip from the previous year’s $9 billion, and significantly lower than the pre-pandemic norm of $11 billion. Final domestic figures will be released on Monday.
Here are the top ten films based on estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday:
- Sonic the Hedgehog 3 – $38 million
- Mufasa: The Lion King – $37.1 million
- Nosferatu – $21.2 million
- Wicked – $19.5 million
- Moana 2 – $18.2 million
- A Complete Unknown – $11.6 million
- Babygirl – $4.4 million
- Gladiator II – $4.2 million
- Homestead – $3.2 million
- The Fire Inside – $2 million
