“Moana 2” Soars Globally
Disney’s animated sequel, Moana 2, has raked in an impressive $600 million worldwide in just two weeks, making it the sixth-highest-grossing film of the year. The box office split is evenly distributed, with $300 million earned domestically and $300 million internationally.
This sequel is poised to surpass the lifetime global earnings of the original 2016 Moana, which grossed $643 million worldwide. Over the weekend, Moana 2 brought in $103.5 million from 52 international markets and an additional $52 million from North America. France leads the international markets with $32.5 million, followed by the UK ($27.2 million), Germany ($19.7 million), and Mexico ($19.1 million).
‘The War of the Rohirrim’ Falters Overseas
Warner Bros.’ anime-inspired fantasy film The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim debuted to lackluster numbers, earning just $2 million across 31 territories. Set 183 years before the events of The Lord of the Rings, the film struggled to draw audiences, with Spain leading earnings at $347,000, followed by Mexico ($239,000) and Thailand ($146,000). The film will expand to North America and 42 more international markets on December 13.
‘Wicked’ Crosses $400 Million Globally
Universal’s Wicked musical adaptation has surpassed $400 million in global box office revenue, with $320 million domestically and $135 million internationally. Over the weekend, the film grossed $26 million across 79 international markets, including openings in France ($2 million) and the Netherlands ($1.9 million). However, it faced challenges in China, debuting with a disappointing $1.2 million on 8,900 screens and ranking only eighth in the country’s box office charts.
‘Gladiator II’ Relies on International Support
Paramount’s Gladiator II continues to perform well internationally, earning $17 million over the weekend, bringing its overseas total to $235 million and its global tally to $368.4 million. The sequel to Ridley Scott’s 2000 Oscar-winning epic has seen much stronger performance outside the U.S., as it works to justify its massive production budget of over $250 million and an additional $100 million for marketing.
‘Red One’ Struggles with Limited Returns
Amazon MGM’s Red One, a Christmas-themed action comedy starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as Santa’s head of security, grossed $3.5 million from 4,000 screens across 75 international markets over the weekend. The film has earned a modest $78.2 million overseas and $164 million globally. Initially planned as a streaming release, its theatrical debut has brought limited success, though its $250 million production budget makes it one of the year’s biggest financial misfires.
Disney’s Moana 2 leads the box office charts with consistent global appeal, while other releases like The War of the Rohirrim and Red One face challenges in drawing substantial audiences.
