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Worldwide box office December 6-8
| Rank | Film (distributor) | 3-day (world) | Cume (world) | 3-day (int’l) | Cume (int’l) | Territories |
| 1. | Moana 2 (Disney) | $155.7m | $600m | $103.7m | $300m | 53 |
| 2. | Wicked (Universal) | $61.7m | $455.6m | $26.9m | $135m | 80 |
| 3. | Pushpa: The Rule - Part 2 (various) | $57.6m | $92.5m | $52.7m | $83.2m | 38 |
| 4. | Gladiator II (Paramount | $29.5m | $368.4m | $17m | $235.7m | 66 |
| 5. | Her Story (various) | $12.2m | $74.9m | $12.2m | $74.9m | 7 |
| 6. | Red One (Warner Bros) | $10.5m | $163.9m | $3.5m | $78.2m | 76 |
| 7. | Burning Star (various) | $6.6m | $6.6m | $6.6m | $6.6m | 1 |
| 8. | Interstellar re-release (Paramount) | $4.4m | $29.1m | – | $24.7m | 12 |
| 9. | The Firefighters (BY4MS) | $4.3m | $4.4m | $4.3m | $4.4m | 1 |
| 10. | Solo Leveling - ReAwakening (Sony) | $3.5m | $4.1m | $1.1m | $1.7m | 33 |
Credit: Comscore. All figures are estimates
‘Moana 2’ hits $600m at global box office after two weekends
Walt Disney Animation Studios’ (WDAS) juggernaut Moana 2 added an estimated $155.7m in its second weekend to propel the global running total to $600m and has already overtaken the $582m final gross of its 2016 predecessor.
Originally conceived as a Disney+ series during the tenure of former Disney CEO Bob Chapek, the project was recalibrated as a feature under the orders of current incumbent Bob Iger and that is clearly looking like an excellent decision. The family tentpole picked up an Golden Globe animation nod on Monday and currently ranks as the fifth highest global release of 2024.
Internationally Moana 2 brought in $103.7m from 52 material territories, while North America produced $52m and a number one hold in the second weekend. Both international and North American arenas have delivered an even split on $300m apiece. The film remains the number one non-local release in all its markets except the Netherlands, where Universal’s Wicked opened top.
The ongoing adventures of the Pacific Islander voiced by Auli’i Cravalho alongside Dwayne Johnson as Maui opened top in Japan on $6.5m including $200,000 in previews and scored the second highest animated opening of 2024 to date in Thailand and the fifth highest WDAS debut of all time in Vietnam.
France ranks as the film’s top market thus far on $32.5m, followed by UK on $27.2m, Germany on $19.7m, Mexico on $19.1m, and Brazil on $16m. China has generated $10.8m. Moana 2 already ranks as a top five 2024 Hollywood release in France, Italy and Germany, Poland, South Africa, and Kazakhstan, and is the highest grossing WDAS release ever in Chile, Egypt and Turkey, and the second highest WDAS release in Poland, CIS, East/West Africa, Serbia, Slovakia and UAE.
‘Wicked’ soars past $450m after three weekends
Universal Pictures International’s Broadway musical adaptation Wicked, which has picked up four Golden Globe nominations including best picture musical or comedy and nods for stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, added a confirmed $63.5m from 80 territories over its third weekend, propelling the running total to $457.5m.
The holiday season tentpole became the biggest non-sequel release of the year when it crossed $400m on December 6 and now is also the second highest-grossing stage adaptation of all time after overtaking stablemate Les Miserables on $442m. Internationally it earned $27.1m after a 37% drop on last weekend for a $135.4m cumulative tally, while North America fell 55% on $36.5m for $322.1m.
Opening in a further 18 markets over the weekend, Wicked delivered $1.9m in Netherlands for 30% market share at number one and the biggest non-sequel opening of the year. France too produced $1.9m to rank third. Universal executives noted the potential impact of political instability on the market following prime minister Michel Barnier’s ouster. Excluding previews this was in line with Mamma Mia 2 and more than The Greatest Showman.
China delivered $1.2m for eighth place in a tough market full of local titles. The number was however more than three times the opening weekend on Mamma Mia 2. Both Belgium on $1m and Poland on $900,000 (both opened at number two) delivered the biggest debut of all time by a stage musical adaptation.
The UK led holdover business on $6.8m after a 37% drop for $47.6m. Australia produced a further $2.8m after falling 25% for $17.1m. Both territories saw Wicked move into the top five films of 2024. South Korea generated $1.4m for $10.6m after a 48% drop.
’Pushpa: The Rule – Part 2’ off to excellent start
Indian crime thriller Pushpa: The Rule – Part 2, the Allu Arjun starrer from Mythri Movie Makers and sequel to 2021 hit Pushpa: The Rise – Part 1, scored a $57.6m global frame at the box office as the early tally climbed to $92.5m.
The film’s producers closed international distribution deals at Berlin’s EFM back in February and will be very pleased with this start. Sukumar directed the story about the titular character’s efforts to protect his smuggling operation from rivals, the police, and government.
Arjun told Screen earlier this year that a third instalment depended on how Pushpa: The Rule – Part 2 fared at the box office. Last Thursday (December 5) the film reportedly scored the highest opening day in India and globally by an Indian film.
‘Gladiator II’ fights to $368.4m
Gladiator II, Ridley Scott’s return to the Colosseum of Rome, grossed $29.4m through Paramount Pictures International for a $368.4m running total, still a way off the 2000 original’s $465.5m final gross.
A $17m international fourth weekend saw box office decline 39% and climb to $235.7m, led by the UK on $2.1m for third place and $33.4m after a 36% drop. France delivered $1.7m for fourth place and $24.6m after a 43% drop, while Spain generated $1.6m to rank second after an excellent 1% drop for $17.4m.
Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Golden Globe nominee Denzel Washington, Connie Nielsen and an assortment of soldiers, schemers and baboons have amassed $14.5m in Mexico, $13m in Australia, $11.5m in Germany, and $9.6m in Italy.
‘Red One’ pushes on to $165m
Amazon MGM Studios’ holiday season tentpole Red One starring Dwayne Johnson, Chris Evans, J.K. Simmons, and Lucy Liu, distributed outside North America via Warner Bros, earned $10m to raise the global tally to $164.6m. The film stands at $78.8m at the international box office.
The story about the North Pole’s head of security who teams up with a hacker to rescue Santa Claus from kidnappers has grossed $9.3m in its lead market the UK, $7.4m in Mexico, and $5.9m in Germany. Australia has produced $4.1m, Spain $3.9m, China $3m, and Brazil $2.9m.
Red One has earned a lacklustre $85.8m in North America. It will debut worldwide on Prime on December 12 and remain in theatres, where it has played exclusively for four weekends. According to sources the plan was always to debut Red One in theatres prior to a Prime launch for the remainder of the holiday season.
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