“Zootopia 2” stormed the global box office with a record-setting debut, earning $96 million domestically from Friday to Sunday, $156 million across the five-day Thanksgiving stretch, and an extraordinary $556 million worldwide since opening on Wednesday, according to studio estimates. The film now holds the biggest international opening ever for an animated feature, the fourth-largest global debut of all time, and the strongest overseas launch of 2025.
Universal Pictures’ “Wicked: For Good” continued to perform strongly in its second weekend, adding $62.8 million in North America and lifting its domestic total to $270.4 million. Its international earnings have now reached $393 million. Together, the two PG-rated sequels turned Thanksgiving weekend into a rare high point in what has otherwise been a sluggish year for theaters. The five-day holiday period generated $290 million overall, with $188 million coming from the traditional Friday-through-Sunday window.
Whether the surge reflects a long-term recovery or only a temporary uptick remains uncertain, as major year-end releases such as “Avatar: Fire and Ash” and “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” loom. Still, the results boosted industry morale. “This is an excellent result and a huge confidence boost for the box office heading into the last month of the year,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore.
Arriving nearly a decade after the original, “Zootopia 2” reunites Judy Hopps, voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin, and Nick Wilde, voiced by Jason Bateman, in a new adventure through their bustling metropolis. The sequel delivered exactly what global audiences were hoping for, Dergarabedian said. Its domestic opening ranked only as the sixth-largest of 2025, but its performance in China was extraordinary. Chinese audiences contributed $272 million—nearly half of the worldwide total—marking the biggest animated debut ever in the country and the second-largest opening for any non-Chinese film, behind only “Avengers: Endgame.”
Hollywood releases have struggled to consistently gain traction in China in recent years due to geopolitical tension, shifting audience preferences and stricter censorship. While some franchises like “Jurassic World” continue to resonate, most studios have significantly scaled back expectations. The massive turnout for “Zootopia 2” could signal improving conditions or simply reflect the franchise’s unique appeal. The original film, known locally as “Crazy Animal City,” became a phenomenon in 2016 and earned $236 million, aided by the popularity of its themed land at Shanghai Disneyland.
“Wicked: For Good” held firm despite facing heavy competition. Universal’s decision to divide the Broadway adaptation into two films continues to pay off, with the sequel generating a global weekend total of $92.2 million. Another notable performer was “Hamnet,” widely considered an awards-season contender. After a strong festival run, it opened in limited release and still cracked the top ten, earning $1.35 million from Wednesday to Sunday. Its weekend total of $880,000 translated into a per-theater average of more than $11,000. Chloé Zhao’s Shakespeare-inspired drama, starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal, expands next week.
Comscore’s estimates for domestic weekend ticket sales placed “Zootopia 2” in first with $96.8 million, followed by “Wicked: For Good” with $62.8 million. “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t” earned $7 million, “Predator: Badlands” collected $4.8 million, “The Running Man” made $3.7 million, and “Eternity” took in $3.2 million. “Rental Family” earned $2.1 million, “Hamnet” brought in $880,000, “Sisu: Road to Revenge” made $810,000, and “Nuremberg” rounded out the top ten with $749,325.
Source: AFP
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
