This holiday season, moviegoers flocked to theaters, offering a diverse collection of films. Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King roared its way to the top of the box office, earning $14.7 million on Christmas Day and pushing its domestic total to $64.3 million.
Globally, the Lion King prequel has amassed an impressive $197.7 million, with $18.8 million coming from international markets on Wednesday. The film is on track to earn over $50 million during the five-day holiday period, solidifying its status as a family-friendly favorite.
On the other end of the spectrum, Focus Features’ Nosferatu carved out a strong debut in second place. Directed by Robert Eggers (The Witch, The Lighthouse), the gothic horror film earned $11.5 million on its opening day, appealing to fans of Eggers’ signature atmospheric style.
With a cast that includes Lily-Rose Depp, Nicholas Hoult, and Willem Dafoe, Nosferatu faces high stakes with its $50 million budget. As a gory counter-programming option for the holidays, it will need to maintain its momentum to justify its budget.
Meanwhile, Paramount’s Sonic the Hedgehog 3 sped into third place, earning $10.3 million on Wednesday. Though it relinquished its weekend crown to Mufasa, the film’s domestic total stands at a robust $88 million.
With another sequel already greenlit for 2027, Paramount is confident in the blue blur’s staying power, bolstered by the franchise’s roots in Sega’s iconic video game series.
In fourth place, A Complete Unknown, Searchlight’s Bob Dylan biopic, made a debut with $7.2 million, including $1.4 million from Tuesday previews.
Directed by James Mangold (Walk the Line), the film stars Timothée Chalamet as the legendary musician. With a budget estimated between $60 and $70 million, its Oscar buzz and Chalamet’s rising star power could help it in the long run.
Rounding out the top five is Universal’s Wicked, which earned $5.4 million on Christmas Day. Since its pre-Thanksgiving release, the film has grossed $397.9 million domestically, cementing its place as one of the year’s biggest blockbusters.
Beyond the top five, the awards season is heating up. A24 has multiple contenders, including Babygirl, an erotic drama featuring Nicole Kidman, which earned $1.5 million on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the studio’s historical epic The Brutalist added $74,965 from six theaters, bringing its domestic total to $429,580.
Among the newcomers, Amazon MGM Studios’ The Fire Inside, an inspirational sports drama about boxer Claressa “T-Rex” Shields, debuted to $1.7 million from 2,006 theaters.
As the year wraps up, studios are counting on a mix of nostalgia, star power, and critical acclaim to carry these films into 2024.
