Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King is poised to maintain its crown at the box office this weekend, facing no major new competitors.
After initially opening with a No. 2 finish behind Sonic the Hedgehog 3 during its debut weekend from December 20-22, the film gained traction over the five-day Christmas weekend, ultimately claiming the top position.
Deadline projects that Mufasa: The Lion King will generate approximately $24.5 million from 3,925 theaters this weekend, retaining the No. 1 spot for a second week. If these estimates hold, the film’s domestic total will rise to $169.2 million by the end of Sunday.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 remains a close contender, expected to earn about $20.7 million from 3,746 venues and finish at No. 2, which would bring its cumulative total to $187 million.
Disney’s Moana 2 is projected to earn $13.2 million this weekend from 3,345 theaters, placing third. If this estimate proves accurate, it will boost Moana 2’s total to $425.9 million through Sunday.
Meanwhile, Robert Eggers’ vampire thriller, Nosferatu, is anticipated to take the No. 4 spot, earning around $13.1 million from 3,132 North American theaters. This would increase its total box office earnings to $69.3 million.
Rounding out the top five is Universal Pictures’ Wicked, projected to earn $10.2 million from 3,287 venues, pushing its total to $450.7 million since its release. Wicked was released in theaters on November 22 and will debut on premium video on demand on December 31.
Please note: This box office report will be updated throughout the weekend with the latest domestic and international figures, with final numbers set to be released on Monday.
Credit: Forbes
