Holiday crowds power Zootopia 2 to a major opening weekend.
The post-Thanksgiving box office showed real muscle, with moviegoers delivering $186 million across theaters nationwide. The total put the weekend among the year’s top performers and nearly matched the decade-long average for this frame from 2010 to 2019. Analysts view the turnout as a steady sign that audiences are returning to theaters as December begins. Optimism remains high across the industry, as studios continue gunning for a year-end finish close to $9 billion.
Disney Scores With a Long-Awaited Sequel
“Zootopia 2” arrived with major momentum. It opened to $96.8 million and raced to $156 million domestic and $400 million globally in its first five days. The result reflects both the franchise’s durability and the pent-up demand for a sequel that spent nearly a decade in development.
Disney’s original 2016 film became a watershed hit, earning $1 billion worldwide and receiving strong critical and audience approval. The long wait for a follow-up stemmed from a blend of story development challenges, scheduling conflicts, evolving studio priorities, and industry-wide shutdowns. When Bob Iger returned as Disney CEO in 2022, the sequel quickly became a priority as the studio rebuilt its theatrical slate.
Key creative players returned as well. Directors Byron Howard and Jared Bush reunited, with Bush once again handling the screenplay. Ginnifer Goodwin and Jason Bateman reprised their roles as Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde, now full partners navigating an escalating wave of coordinated crimes. Their investigation pulls the duo into new environments far beyond the boroughs of the original film. It places them at the center of a political and social crisis that threatens to divide the city. Read our review here.
Wicked: For Good Holds Strong in Second
Universal’s “Wicked: For Good” followed with $62.8 million in its second weekend. The drop from its $147 million debut reflects front-loaded anticipation from fans eager to see the second half of the story. Still, the film has earned $270.4 million domestically and $393.3 million worldwide after ten days. That has been enough to surpass its profitability threshold.
The studio’s two-film approach continues to pay off. Universal filmed both “Wicked” movies back-to-back. It was a strategy that saved tens of millions in production costs and gave exhibitors a high-earning tentpole for consecutive Thanksgiving corridors. Read our review here.
A Steady Climb for Now You See Me: Now You Don’t
Lionsgate rounded out the top three with “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t,” which added $7 million in its third weekend. The film has grossed $49.7 million domestically in 17 days. Despite pressure from two major releases, the studio’s strategy of positioning the film ahead of the holiday rush helped maximize its earning potential. Current projections place its domestic finish around $65 million and its global total near $260 million.
The franchise’s future remains uncertain. With a production cost of $110 million, Lionsgate faces a difficult choice: scale back the spectacle or double down to broaden the audience. Check out our interview with the director and producer here.
A Weekend That Reinforces Audience Momentum
The weekend may not have reached last year’s post-holiday record, yet it delivered a reassuring sign of stability. With a strong December slate still ahead, theaters are positioned for a healthy run through the end of the year.
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Sean Tajipour
Sean Tajipour is the Founder and Editor of Nerdtropolis and the host of the Moviegoers Society and Reel Insights Podcast. He is also a member of the Critics Choice Association. You can follow on Twitter and Instagram @Seantaj.
