Sonic the Hedgehog 3 has broken records and shattered expectations, becoming one of the highest-grossing opening weekends for a Paramount film. With a whopping $26 million on its first day at 3,761 theaters, the movie is poised to become the franchise’s best-performing three-day opener.
Meanwhile, Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King has struggled, taking in only $13.3 million on its opening day despite a large marketing budget of $200 million. The film’s underwhelming performance has left many wondering if it will be able to bounce back from Christmas Day onward.
The competition is fierce this weekend, with Universal’s Wicked and Angel Studios’ Homestead also vying for box office attention. However, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 appears to be a clear winner, thanks in part to its impressive previews which generated $6.5 million on Thursday night.
Critics have praised the film, giving it an 88% Rotten Tomatoes score and a healthy audience score of 98%. On the other hand, Mufasa has received criticism, with a 57% Rotten Tomatoes score and reviews that compare its marketing budget to a lackluster Alice Through the Looking Glass.
As the holiday season gets underway, it remains to be seen how Mufasa will fare against other films opening on Christmas Day. However, for now, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is in pole position, setting itself up for a potential record-breaking run at the box office.
Source: https://deadline.com/2024/12/box-office-sonic-the-hedgehog-3-mufasa-1236239220