‘Moana 2’ and ‘Wicked’ dominated the box office in North America immediately following Thanksgiving
Moana 2 is dominating the box office!
Disney’s animated sequel to 2016’s original debuted in theaters across North America on Wednesday, Nov. 27 and earned a five-day domestic debut of $221 million, as families caught up with Auli’i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson’s beloved animated characters on the seas of Polynesia.
The film has broken numerous box office records, including the biggest five-day opening of all time, plus the biggest Thanksgiving weekend (three-day and five-day) release, as well as the biggest Thanksgiving release and the biggest Black Friday release.
Moana 2, which also marks the biggest Walt Disney Animation Studios debut of all time, has so far made $386 million internationally, marking the second-biggest global film debut this year.
Maui and Moana in Moana 2.
Disney
Wicked, which made $114 million in its first weekend in theaters following a Nov. 22 release date, meanwhile, continued to defy box office gravity as it made another $80 million this weekend, according to Box Office Mojo.
Gladiator II also showed some fight in its second weekend in theaters, as it made an additional $30.7 million.
The Ridley Scott-directed film starring Paul Mescal made $55.5 million in its first weekend in theaters, when it went head-to-head with Wicked.
Moana and Matangi in Moana 2.
Walt Disney Animation Studios
The second Moana film brings audiences back to Polynesia, where the seafaring title character is called to explore the oceans even further in search of a lost island called Motufetū.
The movie stars Rose Matafeo, David Fane, Hualā Chung, Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda, Temuera Morrison and Nicole Scherzinger in addition to Cravalho, 24, and Johnson, 52.
Moana 2, Wicked: Part One and Gladiator II are all in theaters now.
