‘Moana 2’ and ‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ Secure IMAX Releases
On the same day that Walt Disney Animation announced that Jennifer Lee was stepping down as chief creative officer to focus her attention on the studio’s Frozen franchise, Disney got some good news.
Today, IMAX revealed that both Moana 2 and Mufasa: The Lion King will be shown on IMAX screens.
Photo: Disney
The news is especially important for Moana 2, which is set to open on November 27. Filling Disney’s Thanksgiving slot, the highly anticipated sequel to 2016’s Moana is projected to be the biggest Walt Disney Animation release in years.
Both Films Have Competition
Notably, however, the film is set to compete with Paramount’s Gladiator II and Wicked, which will both be released on November 22. Both movies were filmed for IMAX, which traditionally gives them the inside track to theaters.
Photo: Disney
Mufasa: The Lion King, meanwhile, will open in theaters on December 20, just in time for Christmas. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 will also open that day.
Mufasa: The Lion King. Photo: Disney
The relationship between Disney and IMAX has proven fruitful this year. Through September 16, Deadpool & Wolverine grossed $84 million in IMAX theaters. Alien: Romulus, meanwhile, grossed $40 million from IMAX screens, the highest total ever for a horror film.
Disney’s Record-Breaking 2024
Overall, 2024 has been an astoundingly successful year for Disney at the box office. Led by Inside Out 2 and Deadpool & Wolverine, the studio has already surpassed $4 billion at the box office.
Deadpool & Wolverine. Photo: Marvel
The studio will look to finish the year strong with Moana 2 and Mufasa: The Lion King. So far, the future looks bright.
