(Image Source: Universal Pictures, Walt Disney Pictures, Paramount Pictures)
The extended five-day Thanksgiving holiday in the United States proved to be a massive draw for moviegoers, with several major releases capitalizing on the festive period. As anticipated, Disney’s "Moana 2" delivered an astounding $221 million at the domestic box office in its opening weekend, far exceeding "Frozen II"'s previous record of $125 million set in 2019. Globally, "Moana 2" raked in a colossal $386 million over the five-day span.
(Image Source: Walt Disney Pictures)
Beyond "Moana 2," "Wicked: Part I" saw its box office numbers climb in its second week, rising from $112 million to $117 million. The musical fantasy has now amassed $262 million domestically, making it the highest-grossing Broadway adaptation in North American history, surpassing "Grease"'s 1978 record of $188 million. "Wicked"'s global total currently stands at $359 million.
Meanwhile, "Gladiator II," also in its second week domestically, held strong with a $44 million take. Its worldwide cumulative box office has reached $320 million. The combined earnings from all films over the past week set a new all-time record for the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday box office, with the five-day period generating an unprecedented $422 million and an estimated 30 million people visiting cinemas.