Disney's "Moana 2" splashes into theatres with record debut
"Moana 2" by Disney debuted in theaters with an impressive $57.5 million on its opening day, making it one of the biggest animated debuts in history.
This weekend in the USA is special, as it began on Thursday with Thanksgiving Day. The weekend results will include screenings from Wednesday to Sunday evening. It is anticipated that "Moana 2" will earn between $175 and $200 million over these five days. Even with the lower projections, the film will surpass the result of "Frozen 2" from 2019, which earned $125 million. If it reaches the upper limit of forecasts, it could become the biggest animated debut ever.
Success despite mixed reviews
Although "Moana 2" received mixed reviews, with a 66 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes, it didn't discourage fans. Disney is also working on a live-action "Moana" adaptation featuring Dwayne Johnson (The Rock) in the cast. The film is directed by Thomas Kail, with Catherine Laga'aia leading. If "Moana 2" succeeds, more projects related to this franchise are possible.
A successful weekend in American theaters
The cast and production team of "Wicked" can also celebrate. It's another weekend run of this theater adaptation of the Broadway show, yet people are still eager to buy tickets. According to predictions, the film featuring Ariana Grande could earn nearly $100 million by Wednesday evening. Meanwhile, the sequel to "Gladiator" is also drawing audiences, and it's forecasted that Ridley Scott's picture will earn nearly $50 million.
It's worth noting that this year's winners were animations. This weekend, which is said to be the most important for theater owners, is dominated by "Moana." However, the hit of the year is "Inside Out 2," as Pixar's animation earned $1.69 billion worldwide—nearly $800 million more than the first installment.