As expected, Christmas Day brought with it a bonanza at the domestic box office, withMufasa: The Lion Kingstaging something of a comeback aftera lukewarm opening last week. The big-budget sequel finished first on the charts, with a massive $14 million haul, taking its running domestic total past the $60 million mark.Mufasaopened to just $35 million in its first three days of release, and is eying around $50 million over the extended five-day Christmas weekend.
Not only did the movie play well stateside, it was just as popular overseas.Mufasagrossed $18 million internationally, pushing its global haul towards a massive new milestone.With $197 million at the worldwide box officeso far,Mufasais passing the $200 million mark as we speak. While this is a notable achievement, there’s no getting away from the fact that the movie under-performed drasticallyin its opening weekend.Mufasamade $122 million globally in its first three days of release; by comparison, the 2019 remake ofThe Lion Kinggrossed around $450 million in its opening weekend, of which $191 million came from domestic theaters.
Directed byJon Favreau,The Lion Kingconcluded its run with $1.6 billion worldwide.Mufasais directed by the Oscar-winningBarry Jenkins, and serves as both a prequel and sequel toThe Lion King. The movie was produced ona reported budget of over $200 million, which means that it has a way to go before it can be counted as a success. Earlier this year,Joker: Folie à Deuxfell significantly short of its predecessor,Joker, which hit the $1 billion mark globally.Joker 2concluded its run with just over $200 million.
Mufasawill definitely overtakeJoker 2, but there’s no denying the fact that it’s bringing Disney’s excellent year to something of a disappointing end. The studio recently hit the $2 billion mark domestically and the $5 billion mark globally, thanks to hits such asInside Out 2,Deadpool & WolverineandMoana 2.Mufasaopened to mixed reviews, and is currently sitting at a 55% “rotten” rating on the aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes. FeaturingAaron PierreandKelvin Harrison Jr.in the lead roles, the movie is playing in theaters. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
Mufasa: The Lion King
Simba, having become king of the Pride Lands, is determined for his cub to follow in his paw prints while the origins of his late father Mufasa are explored.
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