For the third weekend in a row, Disney’s MOANA 2 set the pace by earning $26.6M at 4,000 North American theatres. This is the second time this year that an animated film has won three consecutive weekends, placing MOANA 2 in great company alongside Pixar’s INSIDE OUT 2.
The total for all movies came in at $88.0M, with strong performances from holdovers WICKED and GLADIATOR II and somewhat disappointing contributions from new releases KRAVEN THE HUNTER and THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM. Last year on this same weekend, the total box office was $75.9M, led by WONKA in its opening.
While this weekend was better than last year, the momentum coming out of Thanksgiving has faded faster than we were expecting. Perhaps, fans are holding out for the upcoming slate of Christmas releases that open Friday 12/20, and Wednesday 12/25. Moviegoers are also Christmas shoppers and they may have been preoccupied with pre-holiday shopping during this year’s shortest window possible between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Only a few weeks ago, forecasters were hoping that this weekend’s dual openings of KRAVEN THE HUNTER and THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM would measure up to last year’s WONKA, the top movie of December which earned $39.0M in its first three days. Alas, the combined total for both of the new movies this weekend was only $15.6M.
Business should rebound next weekend when Paramount’s SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3, Disney’s MUFASA: THE LION KING, and Angel Studios’ HOMESTEAD all open. Five days later on Christmas Day, they will be joined by Focus Features’ NOSFERATU, Searchlight’s A COMPLETE UNKNOWN, A24’s BABYGIRL, and MGM’s THE FIRE INSIDE. This diverse lineup of seven films from seven different distributors should bring in a wide range of audiences and result in one of the best Christmas box offices in years.
Finishing first once again was Disney’s MOANA 2, which took in another $26.6M and dropped 48% from last weekend. Its 19-day total stands at $337.5M domestic and $656.6M worldwide. MOANA 2 and INSIDE OUT 2 will be the top two animated movies of the year, so it’s interesting to consider how these two movies compare.
INSIDE OUT 2 vs. MOANA 2 – Domestic Box Office after 19 Days
- INSIDE OUT 2 (6/14/24) – Domestic Opening $154.2M, Domestic 19-Day $489.3M, Domestic Total $653.0M, Budget $175M, RT Critics/Audience 91%/95%
- MOANA 2 (11/25/24) – Domestic Opening $135.5M, Domestic 19-Day $337.5M, Budget $150M, RT Critics/Audience 62%/87%
It is a formidable challenge to compare MOANA 2 with INSIDE OUT 2, the highest-grossing animated film of all time. Still, MOANA 2 has had a very successful run in theatres, ranking as the 20th highest-grossing movie of the genre after it passed MINIONS in 2015 with its $336.1M. With several productive weeks ahead, MOANA 2 will continue to sell tickets and improve its standing in the record books.
Universal’s WICKED finished in second place for the third weekend in a row, taking in $22.5M and dropping 38%. This brings its total to $359.0M domestic and $500.7M worldwide. In last week’s newsletter, we highlighted the battle between MOANA 2 and WICKED, as the top-grossing movies of the fourth quarter. Since then, their totals have become even closer.
WICKED vs. MOANA 2 as of 12/14/24
- WICKED (11/20/2024) – Domestic 24-Day $359.0M, Budget $150M, RT Critics/Audience 88%/95%
- MOANA 2 (11/25/2024) – Domestic 19-Day $337.5M, Budget $150M, RT Critics/Audience 62%/87%
With much moviegoing still ahead, the final ranking is uncertain and may not be clear until early in January. Regardless, these two pictures have been largely responsible for this year’s Thanksgiving and post-Thanksgiving surge in ticket sales.
Sony and Marvel’s KRAVEN THE HUNTER finished in third place with $11.0M in its debut. This movie is the latest feature in the Spider-Man Universe film series, which has produced three VENOM movies, MORBIUS and MADAME WEB. The character of Kraven the Hunter was introduced 50 years ago in the 1964 Marvel comic book “The Amazing Spider-Man.”
The movie is directed by J.C. Chandor, known for his work in the 2019 action thriller TRIPLE FRONTIER and the 2014 crime thriller A MOST VIOLENT YEAR. Aaron Taylor-Johnson (THE FALL GUY, BULLET TRAIN) plays Kraven, a villain known for his hunting prowess and deeply-seated desire for revenge. The storyline is driven by Kraven’s complex relationship with his gangster father, played by Russell Crowe.
While the earlier movies in the Spider-Man Universe were able to secure a PG-13 rating, KRAVEN THE HUNTER is rated R for its graphic, bloody violence, and strong language. The filmmakers determined that the Kraven character could only be portrayed authentically by showing his violent nature. In the end, the darkness may have limited its audience.
Critics have been nearly unanimous in rejecting the film, scoring only 15% on Rotten Tomatoes. This is one of the lowest grades of the year, only slightly ahead of the disastrous MADAME WEB that earned an 11% score from critics. One reviewer called it “another misfire in the Spider-Man universe,” citing a “cluttered” screenplay and “poorly defined superpowers.” Another criticized the film for its “ill-conceived action” and a “poisonously rote script.”
Audiences have been more forgiving, with a grade of 72%. After spending $110M to make the film and bringing in $11.0M in opening, this project is certain to have a sad ending. After it became clear that KRAVEN was destined to disappoint, Sony announced that it would be the final film in its Spider-Man Universe series. Instead of making movies focused on supporting characters, Sony will focus its future Spider-Man projects on the friendly neighborhood superhero himself.
Paramount’s GLADIATOR II finished in fourth place, earning $7.8M and dropping 38%. This brings its 24-day domestic total to $145.9M and, more importantly, $395.4M worldwide. We predict that it will finish its run in theatres in the first week or two of 2025 with a domestic total of around $165M and a worldwide total of $450M.
It seems that this second GLADIATOR movie will be the last, due to the challenges presented by the high cost of production at $250M and the advanced age of its director Ridley Scott who is now 87 years old.
Finishing fifth is Warner Bros’. THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE WAR OF ROHIRRIM, earning $4.6M in its opening weekend. The animated film delves into the history of Middle Earth as a prequel to the hugely successful THE LORD OF THE RINGS film series that grossed $2.9B worldwide.
The three original movies – THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING, THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS and THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING – were filmed together by the famous director Peter Jackson and released in consecutive Decembers from 2001 to 2003.
THE WAR OF ROHIRRIM is set 183 years before the events in the trilogy, focusing on the character King Helm Hammerhand of Rohan. It explores the origins of Helm’s Deep, the fortress that was featured in THE TWO TOWERS, revealing how it became a bastion for the Rohirrim people. The film’s style is heavily influenced by anime techniques, with its director Kenji Kamiyama well known for his work in this style in movies such as EDEN OF THE EAST.
It brings a unique approach to the Middle Earth saga, offering something beyond what a traditional approach to animation would have brought to the screen. Key members from Peter Jackson’s films were brought back, including Phillippa Boyens, Richard Taylor, Alan Lee, and John Howe. Miranda Otto reprises her role as Eowyn, serving as the film’s narrator, bridging the new narrative with the original films.
The movie’s reviews have been mixed, with only a 51% rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes while audiences have given it a higher score of 85%. It is somewhat unfair to compare this movie to Peter Jackson’s live-action trilogy, which was famous for its scope and grandeur. This weekend’s opening generated only $4.6M, compared to the openings of all three originals, each of which opened with at least $47M.
On the other hand, Warner Bros. should be commended for its attempt to try a different format to revive a successful but dormant franchise. It was also successful in making the new film on a tight production budget of only $30M. This smaller effort does not diminish the LORD OF THE RINGS series in any way, and if Peter Jackson were to make a new LOTR movie, it would certainly be one of the top-grossing movies of the year.
Where Are We as of 12/12/24
After 49 weeks the 2024 box office picked up 2 additional percentage points to 92% of 2023 and 75% of 2019 totals.