Disney's Moana 2 marks history at the Thanksgiving box office, topping the record.
The Polynesian animated film registered a $221 million USD debut in the five-day holiday frame. Moana 2 beat the previous record set by Frozen II in 2019 with a $125 million USD debut and Hunger Games: Catching Fire in 2013 with $109 million USD. It was the biggest debut in history for five days, surpassing Universal's The Super Mario Bros. Movie in 2023.
The three-day tally also marked the best start ever for Walt Disney Animation, which topped the expected revenue of $135 million to $145 million USD.
According to Disney Entertainment Co-Chairman Alan Bergman, "This is a moment to celebrate, and we are grateful to all the viewers and fans who helped make this record-breaking debut."
The animation faced competition from Universal's Wicked and Paramount's Gladiator II. Together, the three blockbusters brought in about $422 million USD for the Thanksgiving weekend. Wicked finished second at the box office with $117.5 million USD over the five-day holiday stretch.
