LOS ANGELES, Dec 2 — Disney’s Frozen 2 stuffed the box office competition during Thanksgiving, generating US$85.2 million (RM355.8 million) over the weekend and a record-setting US$123.7 million over the five-day holiday frame.
The animated adventure soared past the previous Thanksgiving benchmark held by 2013’s The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and its US$109 million bounty between the Wednesday and Sunday holiday frame. Like, Frozen 2, the Hunger Games sequel opened a week ahead of Thanksgiving.
After two weekends in theatres, Frozen 2 is nearing the US$300 million mark in North America with ticket sales currently at a massive US$287 million. Frozen 2 made US$130 million in its inaugural outing, cementing a new high-water mark for Disney Animation.
Though Frozen 2 earned a turkey’s share of grosses, two new movies successfully served as counter-programming against Disney’s all-audience tentpole and carved out solid box office receipts.
Propelled by critical raves and audience adoration to match, Lionsgate’s Knives Out, a murder mystery directed by Rian Johnson, launched ahead of expectations, securing second place on domestic charts with US$27 million over the weekend and US$41.7 million between Wednesday and yesterday.
Heading into the weekend, the whodunit starring Daniel Craig, Jamie Lee Curtis and Chris Evans was projected to earn US$20 million to US$25 million in its first five days of release. The movie cost US$40 million and looks to be a triumph for original content at multiplexes.
Fellow new release, Universal and Makeready’s Queen and Slim, looks to be another win in favour of original fare. The romantic drama starring Daniel Kaluuya and Jodie Turner-Smith opened at No. 5, collecting US$11.7 million over the weekend and US$15.8 million over the five-day holiday period.
Directed by Melina Matsoukas and written by Lena Waithe, Queen and Slim carries a roughly US$20 million price tag. Over 50 per cent of opening weekend crowds were African America, while 24 per cent were Caucasian, 15 per cent were Hispanic and 3 per cent were Asian. More than 60 per cent of ticket buyers were over the age of 25.
Holdovers including Disney-Fox’s Ford v Ferrari and Sony’s A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood. Matt Damon and Christian Bale’s sports drama, now in its third outing, earned US$13 million over the weekend and US$19 million during the five-days, propelling its domestic tally to US$81 million. Tom Hanks’ feel-good film about Mister Rogers made US$12 million over the traditional weekend and US$17.6 million over the holidays. After two weeks of release, A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood has generated US$34 million.
While this Thanksgiving didn’t best last year’s US$315 million benchmark, the holiday is already helping offset what has otherwise been a bleak November at the box office. Heading into the long weekend, overall ticket sales were behind over 7 per cent, according to Comscore. Now, box office receipts are down by 5.6 per cent. — Reuters
