Zootopia 2 Dominates Thanksgiving Box Office With 2nd Best Holiday Haul Ever
Disney’s Zootopia 2 has returned to the box office in spectacular fashion, dominating the Thanksgiving holiday weekend with a massive opening. The highly anticipated animated sequel is projected to earn between $140 million and $150 million over the five-day holiday frame, reaffirming Disney Animation’s hold on holiday moviegoing.
Moviegoers Come Out For Zootopia 2
The film got off to a roaring start, pulling in an impressive $39.5 million on its first day, which included Tuesday previews. This figure marks the second-best Wednesday opening before Thanksgiving for any film, trailing only last year’s Moana 2. The momentum continued through the holiday, with the film earning nearly $20 million on Thanksgiving Day alone—the second-best Thanksgiving haul ever recorded.
A Triumphant Return to a Beloved World
Nine years after the original film became a cultural phenomenon and an Oscar winner, audiences have flocked back to see the adventures of Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde. The sequel has been met with glowing reviews from both critics and moviegoers. It currently holds an A CinemaScore, matching the grade of the first film, and an exceptional 95% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Positive word-of-mouth has been a major driver of its success. Social media monitoring firms report overwhelmingly enthusiastic conversations, with fans celebrating the long-awaited return of their favorite characters. This strong reception suggests the film will have long legs at the box office, carrying it through the rest of the holiday season.
Ranking Among Disney’s Best
The impressive opening numbers place Zootopia 2 among the top performers in Walt Disney Animation Studios’ storied history. Its preview and opening day earnings rank as the third-best for the studio, behind only Moana 2 and Frozen 2. With this performance, Disney continues its tradition of owning the Thanksgiving box office, now holding nine of the top ten five-day openings for the holiday period.
The film’s success is a welcome sign for theaters, providing a much-needed blockbuster to anchor the holiday season. As families continue to head to the movies, Zootopia 2 is poised to become one of the biggest hits of the year, proving that the appeal of its vibrant, thoughtful world is as strong as ever.
