‘Moana 2’, ‘Wicked’ & ‘Gladiator II’ Deliver Black Friday $109M Record, Ticketing Sites Backlogged – Box Office Update
UPDATE: Black Friday delivered an estimated $109M, the best ever for the day after Thanksgiving. The day stands as the second best moviegoing day stateside YTD after July 26’s $118.3M. As we told you, Disney’s Moana 2 scored the best take for a title playing on Black Friday with $54.5M. Wicked scored $32M yesterday, the third best take ever for a movie on Black Friday after Frozen 2 ($34.1M). Gladiator II did $12.4M yesterday, up 87% from its Thanksgiving $6.7M take. All titles yesterday were up 88% over Thanksgiving’s $58M take.
At the time of this post, there isn’t a wait time for online ticket purchases on the AMC website. The circuit’s Boss Adam Aron is a happy camper, declaring that “Americans are pouring into theaters” for what is a “national phenomenon.”
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Press reporting that Americans are pouring into movie theatres this holiday weekend for Moana 2, Wicked and Gladiator II. So many appealing movies in theatres. Smaller titles too like Red One, Conclave and Juror #2. Be part of a national phenomenon. Catch a flick at AMC! pic.twitter.com/yAYnCgov8d
— Adam Aron (@CEOAdam) November 30, 2024
PREVIOUS: Black Friday typically is one of the highest-grossing box office days on the calendar, but this year, it’s coursing to an all-time record with around $107M+ for all movies, led by Disney’s Moana 2.
Friday also has a shot at being the highest-grossing day of 2024 to date, outstripping the $118.3M on Friday, July 26, when Deadpool & Wolverine led with an R-rated opening-day and -weekend record ($96.1M, $211.4M).
There’s such a frenzy for Moana 2, Universal’s Wicked and Paramount’s Gladiator II tickets that AMC at one point this morning was experiencing a 13-minute wait time. That’s a rich-man’s problem for the No. 1 exhibitor. The circuit has the situation under control, I’m told.
Per Comscore, Friday easily will exceed the previous Black Friday record of $85M, which was back in 2013 when Lionsgate’s The Hunger Games: Catching Fire was the No. 1 title over the Wednesday-Sunday Thanksgiving period.
Moana 2 is expected to do at least $55M, which would make it a Black Friday record for the No. 1-grossing film, above Frozen II‘s $34.1M back in 2019. Wicked is on course to do $27M Friday, while Paramount’s Gladiator II is eyeing at $12.6M. Moana 2 already is blowing away the Frozen II $125M 5-day record over Thanksgiving and could do $200M+. Wicked is looking at the fourth best take over the holiday frame with $105.6M while Gladiator II is looking at $45M.
As we first told you, Dwayne Johnson has accomplished a rare feat for a Hollywood leading star at the box office: With Moana 2 and Red One, he’s the first to have two No. 1 openings in the same month.
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