Welcome to the US Box Office Charts and a Historic Box Office Week!
Thanksgiving is a major holiday in the USA, and the Thanksgiving week is typically a popular time to go to the movies, with many blockbusters releasing during this period. This year, the Thanksgiving week saw the release of several highly anticipated films, with new big movies debuting as early as Wednesday. The result? The most successful Thanksgiving week (Wednesday to Sunday) of all time! A staggering $422 million was earned by all films during this period, over $100 million more than in 2018, the previous record holder.
The top spot was claimed by “Vaiana 2,” which grossed a whopping $221 million over 5 days. This film set a new record, surpassing the previous record holder “Frozen 2” by nearly $100 million. When comparing just the opening weekends, “Vaiana 2” also came out on top with $135.5 million, making it the best opening for a Walt Disney Animation Studios film. It’s hard to believe that Disney originally planned to continue “Vaiana” as a series until they changed course earlier this year. This decision is likely one of the best financial moves Disney has ever made. Internationally, the film has also seen strong performance, with $165.3 million so far. With a global start of $386.3 million (the best for an animated film), it’s poised to surpass the billion-dollar mark effortlessly. The question remains, how high can it go? The current estimate is at least $500 million in the US and $1.2 billion worldwide, with room for growth.
In second place is “Wicked,” which, after a stellar start, continued to perform strongly throughout the week, earning a total of $262.43 million. This film earned $80 million in just its second weekend, with $117 million from Wednesday to Sunday. These $117 million alone would secure the second spot in all-time Thanksgiving box office earnings, but what’s truly impressive is that this isn’t the film’s opening weekend. Depending on the final numbers, “Wicked” could break the record for the best hold on the second weekend for a film that grossed over $100 million on its opening weekend. The current record holder is “Top Gun – Maverick,” which only dropped by 28.94%. Regardless, it’s an incredible run, and if it continues, the film could easily surpass $500 million in the US alone. Unfortunately, international numbers aren’t as strong, with the film currently at $96.8 million for a worldwide total of $359.2 million. With stronger international numbers, “Wicked” could easily hit the billion-dollar mark, maybe even with the sequel. The chances for the first installment aren’t zero, so let’s wait and see.
Rounding out the top three is “Gladiator 2,” with solid but not sufficient earnings considering the budget. The holds aren’t outstanding, and the film now stands at $320 million worldwide. It’s expected to end at $450-500 million, which is on par with the predecessor but not high enough considering the budget. “Red One” only dropped by 2%, likely due to the beginning of the holiday season and people switching to other films if they couldn’t watch “Vaiana 2” or “Wicked” due to sold-out theaters. The film has now earned $148.7 million worldwide.
Next week will see the release of several new films, including “Nightbitch” starring Amy Adams. It will be interesting to see how the current top 3 films fare in the upcoming weekend.
US Box Office Top 10:
| Rank | Film | Earnings | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vaiana 2 | $135.50 million | $221.00 million |
| 2 | Wicked | $80.00 million | $262.43 million |
| 3 | Gladiator 2 | $30.70 million | $111.21 million |
| 4 | Red One | $12.90 million | $76.06 million |
| 5 | The Best Christmas Pageant Ever | $3.28 million | $32.00 million |
| 6 | Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin | $2.40 million | $9.75 million |
| 7 | Venom – The Last Dance | $2.20 million | $137.86 million |
| 8 | Heretic | $0.96 million | $26.82 million |
| 9 | Der Wilde Roboter | $0.67 million | $142.49 million |
| 10 | A Real Pain | $0.67 million | $6.12 million |
Tags:
Box Office, Movies, US, Thanksgiving, Blockbusters
Conclusion:
This Thanksgiving week saw record-breaking box office numbers, with “Vaiana 2” leading the pack and setting new milestones. “Wicked” and “Gladiator 2” also performed well, though international numbers varied. The upcoming weekend promises more excitement as new films hit theaters.
FAQs:
1. How much did “Vaiana 2” earn in its first 5 days?
“Vaiana 2” grossed $221 million in its first 5 days, setting a new record for Thanksgiving week earnings.
2. Which film took the second spot in the US box office charts?
“Wicked” claimed the second spot, earning a total of $262.43 million with a strong second weekend performance.
3. What are the international earnings of “Gladiator 2” so far?
“Gladiator 2” has earned $320 million worldwide, with projections to end around $450-500 million.
4. How did “Red One” fare at the box office?
“Red One” only dropped by 2% and has earned $148.7 million worldwide.
5. What new film is set to release next week?
Next week, “Nightbitch” starring Amy Adams is among the new films hitting theaters.
6. Will “Wicked” likely surpass the billion-dollar mark?
With stronger international numbers, “Wicked” could potentially reach the billion-dollar milestone, especially with the possibility of a sequel.
7. How much did “Heretic” earn at the box office?
“Heretic” earned $0.96 million, with a total of $26.82 million worldwide.
8. What is the total worldwide earnings of “Der Wilde Roboter”?
“Der Wilde Roboter” has earned $142.49 million globally, with $0.67 million from the US market.
9. Which film had the best hold at the box office on its second weekend?
“Wicked” could potentially break the record for the best hold on the second weekend for a film that grossed over $100 million on its opening weekend.