Zootopia 2 Tracking For Record-Breaking Debut At Thanksgiving Box Office

The Thanksgiving holiday is shaping up to be a monumental weekend for the box office, and Disney’s highly anticipated sequel, Zootopia 2, is poised to lead the charge. With massive projections and strong early buzz, the film is expected to deliver a record-breaking performance, providing a significant boost to theaters.

Zootopia 2: A Massive Holiday Opening Projected

Early tracking indicates that Zootopia 2 is on pace for a massive five-day domestic opening of $125 million or more over the Wednesday-to-Sunday holiday frame. A performance in this range would place it among the highest Thanksgiving openings of all time, potentially surpassing 2019’s Frozen 2 ($125M) and sitting just behind last year’s record-setting Moana 2 ($225.4M).

This would continue Disney’s long tradition of dominating the Thanksgiving box office, as the studio currently holds nine of the top ten five-day opening records for the holiday. The strong projections are a welcome sign for Hollywood, which is looking for a blockbuster to energize the market.

Strong Presales and Broad Appeal

The confidence in Zootopia 2‘s success is backed by impressive early indicators. Presale numbers are reportedly on par with Pixar’s smash hit Inside Out 2, which opened to over $154 million earlier this year. This suggests that audience anticipation is incredibly high for the return to the vibrant, animal-filled metropolis.

The film is demonstrating broad appeal across all demographics. Tracking shows strong interest from both males and females, in both under-25 and over-25 age groups. The original 2016 film was a cultural phenomenon, winning an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and grossing over $1 billion worldwide. Its clever storytelling and beloved characters, Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde, created a strong foundation of goodwill that is clearly carrying over to the sequel.

Competition at the Box Office

While Zootopia 2 is the favorite to win the weekend, it won’t be without competition. Universal’s Wicked: For Good, which opens the week before, is also expected to have a powerful hold on family audiences. The hope is that both films can coexist and fuel a record-setting holiday frame for the industry, similar to how Wicked, Moana 2, and Gladiator II drove last year’s Thanksgiving box office to new heights. The combination of these two animated powerhouses should ensure that theaters are packed throughout the holiday week, kicking off the festive season with a box office bang.