Box Office: ‘Mufasa,’ ‘One of Them Days’ Draw Blood From ‘Wolf Man’ Over Sluggish MLK Weekend – Hollywood Reporter
Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood ReporterSubscribe for full access to The Hollywood ReporterElsewhere, ‘Moana 2’ crosses the $1 billion mark globally.
By
Pamela McClintock
Senior Film Writer
Mufasa: The Lion King continues to roar at the box office, where it looks to beat One of Them Days — the first female-led Black comedy since 2017’s Girls Trip — over the long Martin Luther King Jr. holiday crown as Wolf Man gets gouged.
The bad news overall: it looks to be one of the slowest MLK weekends in years as Hollywood and theaters face another slowdown in product for the time being.
Most are betting on Disney’s Mufasa to prevail and win the long holiday weekend with an estimated $15.5 million or more as it celebrates becoming only the second film in 15 years to earn more than $200 million domestically despite opening to less than $40 million. (Now in its fifth weekend, the movie is expected to finish Monday with roughly $210 million or more in domestic ticket sales.)
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The studio is also toasting the animated Thanksgiving blockbuster Moana 2 joining the billion-club this weekend to become only the third film released in 2024 to earn north of $1 billion, behind fellow Disney releases Inside Out 2 and Deadpool & Wolverine (the pic came in sixth domestically with $8.4 million in its eighth weekend.
Sony and Tri-Star insiders are likewise feeling victorious over One of Them Days, which is estimating a four-day debut of $14 million. Saturday, it said it was in a tie with Mufasa for No. 1 for the four-day Hollywood after coming in ahead of expectations, thanks to stellar reviews and exit polls, along with an A- CinemaScore. It is also succeeding in reaching its target audience, with Black moviegoers making up 46 percent of Friday ticket buyers. And it looks to have narrowly beat Mufasa for the three-weekend with $11.5 million versus $11.6 million.
One of Them Days is from acclaimed producer Issa Rae and stars Keke Palmer and SZA in her feature film acting debut. About two friends who have a terrible day, the pic was helmed by filmmaker Lawrence Lamont in her feature directorial debut.
From Blumhouse and Universal, Wolf Man tumbled to third in its debut with an estimated $12 million for the four days, notably behind an expected $20 million. The movie received meh reviews and even worse audience polls, along with a C- CinemaScore.
Hollywood’s latest attempt at rebooting Wolf Man certainly doesn’t lack for pedigree, between Blumhouse and writer-director Leigh Whannell, the duo behind 2020’s The Invisible Man, which was a surprise hit in earning north of $144 million globally.
Wolf Man stars Christopher Abbott as a San Francisco man who takes his wife (Julia Garner) and kids to his remote childhood home, only to find himself transforming into something unrecognizable as the family fights off a terrifying creature both inside and outside.
Paramount’s hit family film Sonic the Hedgehog 3 placed fourth in its fifth weekend with an estimated $11 million for the four days — the film is hosting select free screenings in fire-ravaged areas of L.A. on Monday — to finish the weekend with a domestic total of $218.9. It is now the top-grossing film in the hit franchise with a global tally of $422.4 million (it overseas tallly through Sunday is $203.5 million).
Lionsgate’s Den of Thieves 2: Pantera in fifth place with $7.8 million for an estimated domestic tally of $26.2 million.
More to come.
Numebers could shift again by Monday morning; THR will keep you updated.
Jan. 19, 8:30 a.m: Updated with revised estimates.
This story was originally published Jan. 18 at 9:11 a.m..Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every daySign up for THR news straight to your inbox every daySubscribe for full access to The Hollywood ReporterSend us a tip using our anonymous form.
