A Disney movie that was never meant to be shown on the big screen is on track to beat Thanksgiving release weekend records after scoring the best-ever preview day for a Disney Animation film and reportedly grossing another $28 million on Thanksgiving Day.
Moana, voiced by Auli'i Cravalho, holding Simea, voiced by Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda, in a scene from ... [+]
“Moana 2,” which was originally conceived as a Disney+ series before being developed as a feature film, was the top-earning holiday movie and is now on track to gross at least $175 million over the five-day holiday weekend, Variety reported.
That number would make it the highest-earning Thanksgiving release of all time, out-earning both “Frozen II” ($125 million) and “Hunger Games: Catching Fire” ($109 million).
The viral musical sensation "Wicked," which opened over a week ago, grossed an impressive $16.9 million on Thanksgiving and “Gladiator II" grossed $6.7 million.
“Wicked,” the first in a two-part film adaptation of the Broadway musical starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, is ranked as the 63rd biggest opening weekend of all time by Box Office Mojo with $112.5 million.
The first part of “Wicked” is the best opening weekend ever for a film based on a Broadway musical and one of the biggest openings for a big-screen musical.
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$13.8 million. That's how much "Moana 2" grossed in preview screenings, the biggest preview haul ever ahead of Thanksgiving weekend and the most preview earnings for a film from Disney Animation.
“Moana” was the most-streamed movie last year in the U.S., with 11.6 billion minutes streamed.
Of the three films dominating the box office, "Wicked" is by far the highest rated by critics with a 90% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, and has been called "the most entertaining film of the year and the most dazzling live-action Hollywood musical since ‘Chicago.’” "Gladiator II" has a 71% critics score and reviewers have generally called it a redundant rehashing of its predecessor—but nonetheless "fun to watch." “Moana 2,” despite its impressive box office showing, has been less loved, with a 65% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, with some reviewers calling it "mediocre" and a "sequel stuck in a rut."