The animated film “Zootopia 2” has topped the big weekend box office for family movies.
The sequel to Walt Disney Co.’s 2016 film brought in $156 million at the U.S. and Canadian box office over the five-day Thanksgiving weekend, according to studio estimates. The film’s production cost is estimated to be between $175 million and $200 million.
“Zootopia 2” collected a total of $556 million at the global box office. That includes $272 million in China, once a huge market for Hollywood movies. Zootopia 2’s box office revenue in China was the highest opening ever for an animated film outside the country.
The film probably benefited from: Disney will open a Zootopia-themed land at Shanghai Disneyland in 2023 and embarked on a massive marketing campaign before the film’s release. The original film’s total box office gross in China was $236 million.
At the domestic box office, Universal Pictures’ “Wicked: For Good” came in second place with a five-day total of $93 million.
The period between Thanksgiving and Christmas is traditionally a key time for studios and theaters to attract moviegoers with family fare and blockbusters, which can account for a large portion of the year’s box office revenue.
“Zootopia 2” and “Wicked: For Good” were seen as two major films to be released toward the end of the year that could drive large ticket sales. The third film is Disney’s 20th Century Studios’ Avatar: Fire and Ash, which is scheduled to be released in theaters next month.
The reception of Zootopia 2 and Wicked: For Good also shows the demand for family films. Although overall box office receipts have been uneven this year, children’s and family-oriented films generally performed well at the box office.
It was brought in by Disney’s live-action adaptation of Lilo & Stitch and Warner Bros. “A Minecraft Movie” was not far behind with nearly $958 million.
