‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ Falls Behind ‘Sonic’ at the Domestic Box Office
Walt Disney Studios is returning to theaters today with the highly-anticipated release of Mufasa: The Lion King.
After a largely disastrous 2023, Disney has made a roaring comeback this year with the release of Inside Out 2, Deadpool & Wolverine, and Moana 2.
The former film marked Pixar’s return to form, earning rave reviews from critics and fans alike and eventually becoming the highest-grossing animated film of all time.
Image: Pixar
Deadpool & Wolverine followed that success with the best box office run for an R-rated film ever, perhaps pulling the Marvel Cinematic Universe back from the brink.
Finally, Moana 2 sailed into theaters over Thanksgiving, delivering the best five-day opening of all time. The film currently sits at $724.5 million at the worldwide box office.
Photo: Disney
Now, Disney will look to finish off the year with Mufasa.
‘Mufasa’ vs. ‘Sonic’
Unlike the three blockbusters that came before it, Mufasa: The Lion King faces stiff competition during its opening weekend in the form of Paramount’s Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
Photo: Disney
While Mufasa looks primed to roar to a $180 million debut, domestically, the film will likely land in second place behind Sonic.
Thursday night, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 raced to $6.5 million in previews, while Mufasa: The Lion King managed $3.3 million.
Photo: Paramount
Looking ahead, Sonic is expected to deliver a $60 to $70 million debut weekend, while Mufasa is tracking towards a $50 million debut.
The Film Should Have an Extended Run
With the holidays upon us, Sonic and Mufasa should benefit from extended box office runs. While Mufasa will likely not reach the heights of 2019’s The Lion King, which made over $1.6 billion, the film can still deliver a strong box office bow and cap off a wildly successful 2024 for Disney.
Photo: Disney
