A pair of powerful sequels — “Ralph Breaks the Internet” and “Creed II” — are dominating at a robust Thanksgiving holiday box office, leading the way to a possible record-setting total for the five-day period.
Disney’s “Ralph Breaks the Internet” is performing impressively as it heads for an estimated domestic launch of about $89 million at 4,017 sites for the holiday period. The family comedy will likely wind up with second-best Thanksgiving opening behind Disney’s “Frozen” at $93.6 million.
The sequel is dwarfing “Wreck-It Ralph,” which opened with $49 million over three days in 2012 on its way to $189 million domestically and $471 million worldwide.
MGM-New Line’s “Creed II” is punching its way to around $60 million at 3,359 venues over five days, far above the $42 million from the original “Creed” during the 2015 Thanksgiving holiday. Both sequels are performing well above forecasts, with “Ralph Breaks the Internet” having been projected to earn between $67 million and $77 million over its first five days of release and “Creed” originally set to pull in north of $45 million.
Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at comScore, said the holiday frame could top the all-time record of $294 million in 2013, when the second weekend of “Hunger Games: Catching Fire” took in $109.9 million, followed by “Frozen.”
“A spectacularly crowded turkey day frame is off to an amazing start with an appetizing bounty of crowd-pleasing blockbusters and awards season contenders that have enthusiastic crowds flocking to the multiplex, with a new record (and the potential for the first $300 million plus total) for the five-day holiday period in the works in the wake of the biggest pre-Thanksgiving Wednesday that crossed $50 million for the first time,” he added.
Lionsgate’s launch of “Robin Hood” has not hit the bullseye with moviegoers and will finish in seventh place with about $15 million at 2,715 venues for the holiday period. It’s a disappointing total considering its $100 million budget. The holiday gross is in line with pre-release estimates.
Universal’s expanded run of awards contender “Green Book” is heading for a moderate ninth-place finish with about $7 million at 1,063 sites after launching last weekend at 25 locations. The film, starring Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali, is produced by Participant Media and DreamWorks Pictures. It’s been hit by controversy over Mortensen’s use of the N-word at a Q&A earlier this month, with the star subsequently apologizing.
Holdovers “The Grinch” and “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” are in a battle for third with “Beasts” likely to prevail with about $43 million over “The Grinch” at $41 million for the five days. Warner Bros.’ “Fantastic Beasts” should end the holiday weekend with around $117 million on Sunday in its first 10 days while “The Grinch” will hit $179 million in 17 days.
Fox’s fourth weekend of “Bohemian Rhapsody” and Paramount’s second weekend of Mark Wahlberg comedy “Instant Family” are in a fight for fifth with about $18 million each. “Rhapsody,” with Rami Malek portraying Queen frontman Freddie Mercury, should cross the $150 million mark by Sunday, its 24th day of release.
(Excerpt) Read more in: Variety