Thanksgiving Week Hits an All-Time High at the Box Office

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Movie theaters finally have something for which to be thankful.

Disney’s “Moana 2” cemented a new Thanksgiving box office record with $221 million over the five-day holiday frame, obliterating the previous high-water marks set by 2019’s “Frozen II” ($125 million) and 2013’s “Hunger Games: Catching Fire” ($109 million). It also stands as the biggest five-day debut in history, overtaking Universal’s 2023 behemoth “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” ($205.6 million). The film’s three-day tally of $135.5 million registers as the best start for Walt Disney Animation ahead of “Frozen II” ($130.2 million the weekend prior to Thanksgiving). Ticket sales for the “Moana” sequel were far above the early estimates of $135 million to $145 million.

And it’s not just the Polynesian animated adventure that’s keeping the nation’s multiplexes booked and busy. Universal’s adaptation of “Wicked” and Paramount’s action epic “Gladiator II,” both of which opened last weekend, are continuing to bring out audiences. Together, the trio of big-budget blockbusters are powering the biggest Thanksgiving period on record with approximately $422 million across all films. It shattered the previous benchmark set in 2018 with $315 million in grosses across all films, led by “Ralph Breaks the Internet,” “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” and “Creed II.” This year’s attendance has massively improved from 2023, which was one of the worst in modern history

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“Wicked” enjoyed another huge turnout, notching the No. 2 spot with $80 million over the traditional weekend and $117.5 million over the five-day holiday stretch. Director Jon M. Chu’s big-screen take on the popular Broadway musical has generated $262.4 million in North America and $359.2 million globally to date. 

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“Gladiator II” took third place with $30.7 million over the traditional weekend and $44 million over the five-day frame. Ridley Scott’s long-gestating sequel to 2000’s “Gladiator” has grossed $111.2 million domestically and $320 million worldwide so far. 

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