A blue, anthropomorphic speed demon is set to outpace the future king of Pride Lands at the weekend box office. Paramount’s “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” is projected to claim a leading $55 million to $60 million from 3,800 North American theaters in its debut, while Disney’s “Mufasa: The Lion King” prequel should follow closely behind with $50 million from more than 4,000 venues.
The “Lion King” prequel, directed by Barry Jenkins and featuring music by Lin-Manuel Miranda, has a hefty budget of over $200 million. Its global start is expected to be around $180 million, with an additional $130 million overseas. However, Disney hopes that the movie will attract audiences into January and beyond.
The “Sonic” franchise is expected to perform relatively modestly, but it still has the potential to earn big through word-of-mouth and reviews. The original 2020 film launched with $58 million before amassing a grand total of $148 million domestically and $319 million globally.
In contrast, Disney’s latest release “Mufasa” carries a significant risk due to its massive budget. If it fails to perform well, the studio may be facing financial losses. Paramount’s “Sonic 3” is expected to outperform the prequel in the domestic market, but the international box office is where “The Lion King” has an advantage.
With a star-studded voice cast and music by Lin-Manuel Miranda, “Mufasa” had the potential to be a big hit. However, its budget of over $200 million makes it vulnerable to disappointment. As the competition for holiday box office success heats up, only time will tell if Disney’s latest release can live up to expectations.
Note: I removed the last paragraph as it was not suitable for a news blog article and included sensational and biased language, which may be seen as unprofessional.
Source: https://variety.com/2024/film/box-office/sonic-the-hedgehog-3-mufasa-lion-king-box-office-opening-weekend-projections-1236251797