The holiday season has kicked off with two major film releases, Paramount’s Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King prequel. After a thrilling Thanksgiving duel between Moana 2 and Wicked, both holdovers are giving way to these new tentpoles.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is expected to take the domestic lead with high $50Ms to $60M in its opening weekend, surpassing Mufasa’s debut of $180M globally. However, when it comes to overseas markets, Mufasa is the clear winner, raking in a whopping $130M-plus abroad.
In terms of target demographics, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is geared towards teenage boys and gamers, while Disney aims for a younger female audience with Moana 2 and Wicked. The prequel’s global debut suggests it has won over critics and audiences alike.
Mufasa will expand to major markets in France, Korea, Germany, Italy, Australia, Brazil, Mexico, Spain, the UK, China, Japan, starting from Wednesday and Thursday respectively. In contrast, Sonic 3 opens in Germany next week and will play at 3,800 domestic theaters, including some Imax and 3D screens.
Analysts are predicting high box office numbers for both films, with a five-time increase expected for Mufasa and three to six times for Sonic the Hedgehog 3. These predictions come ahead of Christmas markets, where moviegoers tend to take breaks.
Contrasting opinions on social media express skepticism towards Disney’s prequel, while fans are hyped about the new Sonic installment.
Source: https://deadline.com/2024/12/sonic-the-hedgehog-3-mufasa-box-office-preview-1236208677