Paramount Pictures and Sega of America have shared an image from *Sonic the Hedgehog 3*, featuring the character Sonic, voiced by Ben Schwartz, in an action-packed scene. AP Photo
In the holiday season box office race, “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” has claimed the top spot, surpassing Disney's much-anticipated “Mufasa: The Lion King.” Paramount Pictures’ latest installment of the beloved Sonic franchise grossed an impressive $62 million during its opening weekend, marking a strong debut as it heads into the Christmas movie season.
“Sonic the Hedgehog 3” received positive feedback, with an 86% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an “A” grade on CinemaScore, making it a favorite among audiences. This success comes as no surprise, as the previous two “Sonic” films collectively earned over $700 million globally. With strong international prospects and positive word-of-mouth, it seems likely the third installment will surpass its predecessors, and a fourth “Sonic” movie is already in the works.
In contrast, Disney’s “Mufasa,” a prequel to 2019’s live-action “The Lion King,” underperformed during its debut. Despite opening on a wider range of screens—4,100 theatres compared to “Sonic 3”'s 3,761—the film only managed to bring in $35 million at the domestic box office, falling short of expectations. Reviews for the film were less favorable, with a 56% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, though audiences gave it a respectable “A-” on CinemaScore.
“Mufasa” was an expensive project, costing over $200 million to produce, and it struggled to make a significant impact at the box office compared to its predecessor, which grossed $1.66 billion worldwide. Despite the underwhelming opening, Disney hopes that international sales, which earned $87.2 million, will help recover the gap.
Disney has released an image from *Mufasa: The Lion King*, featuring the characters Afia, voiced by Anika Noni Rose, Mufasa, voiced by Braelyn Rankins, and Masego, voiced by Keith David, in a key scene from the movie. Disney
“Sonic 3” features Ben Schwartz returning as the voice of Sonic, alongside Colleen O’Shaughnessey as Tails, Idris Elba as Knuckles, and Jim Carrey reprising his iconic roles as Dr. Robotnik and his grandfather. The film’s combination of action, humor, and high-energy animation seems to be resonating well with audiences, particularly family viewers, a key demographic for holiday releases.
Directed by Barry Jenkins, “Mufasa” boasts a star-studded voice cast, including Aaron Pierre, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Donald Glover, and Beyoncé Knowles-Carter. However, the film struggled to match the success of previous Disney live-action remakes like “Aladdin” and “Beauty and the Beast,” which had far more lucrative openings. The film’s attempt to capture the magic of the original “Lion King” story didn’t seem to hit the same notes with audiences this time.
Despite “Mufasa’s” disappointing debut, Disney is celebrating a successful year overall, having earned over $5 billion globally. The studio’s other family hits, such as “Inside Out 2” and “Moana 2,” have performed well, with “Moana 2” currently sitting among the year’s top three films, having grossed over $790 million worldwide.
As the holiday movie season continues, "Sonic 3" could dominate the box office for several weeks. Notably, no major franchise films are set to release on Christmas Day, leaving plenty of room for “Sonic” to retain the No. 1 spot through the busy festive season. The film’s family appeal and strong performances make it the go-to choice for many moviegoers looking for entertainment during the holidays.
In other news, Universal's “Wicked” continues to do well, bringing in $13.5 million in its fifth weekend, while other smaller releases, such as “Homestead” and “The Brutalist,” are also contributing to the box office mix, marking a strong end to the year for Hollywood.
