Film theaters lastly have one thing for which to be grateful.

Disney’s “Moana 2” cemented Thanksgiving field workplace data with $221 million over the five-day vacation body, obliterating the earlier high-water marks set by 2019’s “Frozen II” ($125 million) and 2013’s “Starvation Video games: Catching Hearth” ($109 million). It additionally stands as the largest five-day debut in historical past, overtaking Common’s 2023 behemoth “The Tremendous Mario Bros. Film” with $205.6 million. The movie’s three day tally of $135.5 million registers as the very best begin for Walt Disney Animation forward of “Frozen II” ($130.2 million). Ticket gross sales for the “Moana” sequel have been far above the early estimates of $135 million to $145 million.

“‘Moana 2’ has far surpassed our excessive expectations this weekend and is a testomony to the phenomenon that ‘Moana’ has turn into,” Disney Leisure co-chairman Alan Bergman mentioned in a press release. “It is a second to have a good time, and we’re grateful to all the moviegoers and followers who’ve helped make this a record-breaking debut.”

And it’s not simply the Polynesian animated journey that’s conserving the nation’s multiplexes booked and busy. Common’s adaptation of “Depraved” and Paramount’s motion epic “Gladiator II,” each of which opened final weekend, are persevering with to carry out audiences. Collectively, the trio of big-budget blockbusters are powering the largest Thanksgiving interval on file with roughly $422 million throughout all movies. It shattered the earlier benchmark set in 2018 with $315 million in grosses throughout all movies, led by “Ralph Breaks the Web,” “Improbable Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” and “Creed II.” This 12 months’s attendance is massively improved from 2023, which was one of many worst in fashionable historical past as Disney’s “Want,” “Starvation Video games” prequel “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” and Ridley Scott’s historic drama “Napoleon” pushed ticket gross sales to only $125 million in complete.

“Depraved” loved one other enormous turnout, notching the No. 2 spot with $80 million over the standard weekend and $117.5 million over the five-day vacation stretch. Director Jon M. Chu’s huge display screen tackle the favored Broadway musical has generated $262.4 million in North America and $359.2 million globally to this point. It already ranks as the best grossing Broadway adaptation in home field workplace historical past, forward of 1978’s Grease ($188.62 million), in addition to the fourth-biggest worldwide stage-to-screen reimagining behind 2008’s “Mamma Mia” ($611 million), 2012’s “Les Miserables” ($442 million) and “Grease” ($396 million). Common wants “Depraved” to finally surpass these musical movies on international field workplace charts. That’s as a result of “Depraved” is the primary of the two-part saga (the second installment, chronicling the again half of the stage present, lands on the massive display screen in 2025), every of which carry a $150 million price ticket — not together with the studio’s maximalist advertising and marketing blitz.

“Gladiator II” took third place with $30.7 million over the standard weekend and $44 million over the 5 day body. Ridley Scott’s long-gestating sequel to 2000’s “Gladiator” has grossed $111.2 million domestically and $320 million worldwide to date. The “Gladiator” sequel was additionally massively costly to make, costing greater than $250 million to supply and one other $100 million to market to international audiences.

“Moana 2” can also be making waves on the worldwide field workplace, the place it’s opening forward of expectations with $165 million and bringing the worldwide tally to $386.3 million. The animated journey is the newest 2024 theatrical smash for Disney following the mega successes of June’s “Inside Out 2” ($1.6 billion) and July’s “Deadpool & Wolverine” ($1.3 billion). These blockbusters have cemented a rebound after the studio’s disastrous 2023 with flops like “The Marvels,” “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Future,” “Want” and “Haunted Mansion.”

Film theaters are particularly grateful for the windfall of “Moana 2” as a result of the follow-up was greenlit as a tv present for Disney+ earlier than it was retooled right into a theatrical characteristic movie. The unique “Moana” was launched in 2016 and opened to $82 million over the prolonged Thanksgiving weekend. The household movie carried out solidly with $680 million on the international field workplace however exploded in reputation on Disney+ and different digital platforms. In 2023 — seven years after its huge display screen debut — “Moana” was essentially the most streamed film of the 12 months within the U.S. with 11.6 billion minutes watched, in response to Nielson. Given its enduring attraction, Disney is creating a live-action remake of the unique for launch in 2026.

“This was initially envisioned as a direct-to-Disney+ streaming manufacturing earlier than it was shifted to a theatrical launch in the beginning of the 12 months. Smart move,” says David A. Gross, who runs the film consulting agency Franchise Leisure Analysis. “These are gigantic numbers.”

Dwayne Johnson and Auliʻi Cravalho reprise their voice roles because the tattooed demigod Maui and the Polynesian heroine (who shouldn’t be a princess) Moana within the sequel, during which the plucky wayfinder journeys far into the ocean to discover a hidden island and break a curse. Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote such memorable hits as “How Far I’ll Go” and “You’re Welcome” for the primary movie, didn’t return for the second, as an alternative passing songwriting duties to Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, the duo behind “The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical.” Opinions have been combined, with a 65% on Rotten Tomatoes, however important sentiment isn’t factoring into turnout for households. Audiences bestowed the movie an “A-” grade on CinemaScore, which actually bodes effectively for word-of-mouth and repeat viewings throughout its theatrical run.

In a distant fourth place, “Crimson One,” a Christmas-set motion comedy starring the Rock as Santa’s head of safety, added $12.8 million over the standard weekend and $18.7 million over the 5 day vacation body. The Amazon MGM movie has grossed $75 million in North America and $148.7 million globally after three weekends of launch. “Crimson One,” which was initially developed for streaming earlier than pivoting to cinemas, price $250 million so it’ll wrestle to climb out of the crimson in its theatrical run.

Lionsgate’s household pleasant “The Finest Christmas Pageant Ever” rounded out the highest 5 with $3.2 million over the standard weekend and $4.85 million by the prolonged Thanksgiving interval. The texture-good vacation movie price $10 million and has grossed $32 million in North America since opening 4 weeks in the past.