Disney’s Mufasa dominates the domestic box office with $23.8 million, propelling its domestic total to $168.6 million. As a result, the film emerged victorious in a closely contested holiday weekend battle, beating Paramount’s highly-anticipated film, Sonic 3. Moreover, Mufasa has demonstrated remarkable resilience at the box office despite its initially underwhelming opening.
Dueling Films Fight for Box Office #1 Spot
Mufasa continued to roar internationally, grossing an additional $53.3 million overseas. Surpassing the $300 million mark abroad, the film gathered a global total of $476.4 million, securing its position as the tenth highest-grossing title of 2024. However, Sonic 3 wouldn’t be overshadowed and chases down the Disney prequel. Delivering a strong performance at the box office, it finished second with $21.2 million domestically, putting its total at $187.5 million.
Sonic 3 brings its foreign tally to $148.8 million and its worldwide total to $336.3 million, garnering $51.2 million. Paramount reached a significant milestone, revealing that the Sonic franchise surpassed $1 billion worldwide in ticket sales. This achievement has a well-deserved praise being based on the renowned Sega game series. Notably, the latest Sonic film has contributed to the franchise’s success.
Resonating with audiences worldwide, Sonic 3 boasts a star-studded cast, including Jim Carrey and newcomer Keanu Reeves. So far, the box office continues to find success from the strength of year-end holiday releases. Notably, the weekend’s overall revenue increased by up to 20% compared to the same period last year. Despite this growth, it’s worth noting that box office earnings still lag behind 2019 levels.
Enduring Appeal of Mufasa: The Lion King
On Sunday morning, the box office numbers rolled in, revealing the notable shift in the rankings. Overall, Mufasa reached the number one spot due to its impressive holdover performance. As a testament to its enduring appeal, the film took in $23.8 million in its third weekend, while Sonic 3 trailed behind with a projected total of $20.7 million. Mufasa’s success is maintained through the people’s curiosity, whether a fan of the original or 2019 remake.
Given its second weekend’s 3.9% week-on-week rise, the film continued drawing audiences in. Comparing it to Sonic 3, it experienced a significant 38.4% drop. Securing the top spot at the box office, this surprising turn of events marked a significant turnaround after a disappointing opening weekend. Debuting with a modest $35.4 million domestically, the film ultimately fell short of expectations. Compared to the original 2019 live-adaptation film, The Lion King, had a stellar opening weekend, garnering $191.8 million.
Box Office Sales Differences
The substantial difference in both films’ opening weekend numbers set a cautious tone for the overall performance of the 2024 prequel film. Considering the 2019 film’s impressive worldwide box office total of $1.662 billion, the chances of Mufasa: The Lion King reaching the billion-dollar milestone seem unlikely. Despite not matching the original’s impressive number, the film’s recent surge at the box office charts shows it may still find success.
Over two subsequent weeks, Mufasa managed to hold its ground, defying expectations and positioning itself for a successful theatrical run. Given its relatively modest budget of $150 million, the film’s estimated break-even point is around $375 million worldwide. Furthermore, Mufasa is poised to surpass this milestone with ease. Moreover, the film capitalizes on the typical pattern of the holiday season, which exhibits slow and steady growth throughout the year.
Movie Critics Justified the Better Movie
Mufasa: The Lion King
With 55% of reviews being positive, Mufasa: The Lion King received a mixed critical response on Rotten Tomatoes. Considering the film’s average rating of 5.8/10, critics seem to be moderately impressed by the film. Meanwhile, audiences exhibit more enthusiasm with CinemaScore Polls giving the film an average grade of A-, while PostTrak reports an 85% positive score. Although the film’s reception has been varied, critics and audiences held differing opinions on its merits.
Receiving praise for its improved animation, many critics considered Mufasa a technological step up from the 2019 Lion King live-action remake. Lauded its expressive visuals, the film brings the characters to life in an immersive and convincing way. Furthermore, director Barry Jenkins was also commended for his unique voice and perspective, adding depth and nuance to the story. While receiving mixed reviews, some critics and audiances praised Lin-Manuel Miranda’s songs for complementing the original Lion King soundtrack, delivering a memorable experience.
Sonic 3 Put Up A Good Fight
Sonic 3 garnered global critical acclaim with 86% of reviews on Rotten Tomatoes being positive. Interestingly, the film’s average rating of 6.6/10 underscores its impressive reception. Surpassing Werewolves Within, Sonic 3 has become the platform’s highest-rated film based on video games. Reporting a more mixed response, Metacritic gave the film a score of 56 out of 100 based on 28 critics. Nevertheless, audiences have enjoyed the Paramount film, yielding an average grade of A on CinemaScore Polls an 89 and scored postive on PostTrak.
Sonic 3’s success is attributed to its talented cast, particularly Keanu Reeves’ emotional and complex performance as Shadow. Likewise, the film’s director, Jeff Fowler, was credited for his skillful storytelling, effectively balancing action, humor, and heart. While Jim Carrey’s energetic portrayal of Dr. Robotnik added to the film’s comedic charm, Idris Elba was praised for his well-received performance of Knuckles.
A New Contender May Conquer
Mufasa and Sonic 3 have dominated the box office for the past three weeks. The release of award-winning films targeting adult audiences failed to pose a significant threat for the holiday season. Furthermore, the third weekend didn’t see new global releases, allowing both films to maintain their top position. However, the impending release of Den of Thieves: Pantera may change the box office landscape for the fourth weekend. Where these two blockbuster films will fall in the upcoming week remains uncertain.
