It’s a great Thanksgiving of second-best records for Disney with Zootopia 2 and that’s nothing to complain about: The sequel posted the second highest grossing Saturday over Thanksgiving stretch of $35.8M, which is fueling the second-highest 5-day opening ever for the holiday of $156M. That’s also the second best opening ever for a Walt Disney Animation title. This is after the second-highest Wednesday, Thursday and Black Friday in recent days — all these records are filing behind last year’s Moana 2 (5-day of $225.4M).
Exclaimed Disney Entertainment Co-Chairman Alan Bergman this morning, “The incredible response to Zootopia 2 reflects both its worldwide appeal and the remarkable work of our filmmakers and cast. It’s a proud moment for Disney Animation and all of us at Disney, not to mention a great way to start the holiday season.”
Andrew Cripps, head of Disney Global Distribution, pointed out that Zootopia 2‘s success also “benefitted from the pent-up demand for animated movies from audiences.” There’s been few this past year, at least few that have worked.
Box Office state firm EntTelligence counted 12 million admissions for Zootopia 2 over 5-days. Moana 2 clocked 17.5M last year. The average ticket price was $14.42 while the average premium large format ticket price for the sequel was $18.
The conservative 5-day forecast on Zootopia 2 was $125M. There is room for upside with the sequel apt to gross $3M more than what we’re seeing currently. Interesting to note that the daily gross cadence for Zootopia 2 is very similar to Moana 2‘s on a percentile basis, i.e. Thanksgiving was down 50% from opening day Wednesday/previews, Black Friday was +96% over Thanksgiving, Saturday dipped -7% from Black Friday with Sunday being calculated at a -37% decline off yesterday (Note Moana 2 eased -31% on its first Sunday off Saturday).
Early industry estimates for the five-day weekend for all films is factored around $297M (that includes $4.25M from Netflix’s Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery), which among Thanksgiving 5-day hauls is third behind last year’s all-time record of $424.9M, and 2018’s $315.6M (that’s when Disney Animation sequel Ralph Breaks the Internet led with $84.7M). We’ll see what Comscore reports.
Disney arrived to this massive weekend with 11 promo partners who delivered over $215 million in media value that generated 3.7 billion-plus impressions and a retail footprint that spanned 100k+ locations. That promo campaign value outstrips that of Moana 2‘s $100M and Inside Out 2‘s. Zootopia 2‘s partners included:
- Volkswagen (Oct 16 – Jan 31) – Yes, an animated movie had a car partner — which is not common. The team-up repped the biggest between Disney and VW to date, “Wolfswagen” blended real-world automotive branding with in-film animated vehicle integrations. A custom spot featured three Zootopified VW models (regionally adapted) with Gazelle’s “Zoo” single ran globally across theaters, TV, streaming, and social. There were also in-dealership activations in Germany, China, and France with wrapped cars and custom show vehicles at Guangzhou Motor Show.
- McDonald’s (Nov 4 – Dec 1) – Fast food always delivers in a movie campaign, and after an auto partner can be the second most lucrative. An animated spot followed Judy and Nick to “Hoppy Meal.” Program rolled out across US (13.5k restaurants), Latin American, and China with eight collectible toys, in-restaurant POS, and in-app promotion.
- Air Canada (Nov 6 – Dec 31) – There was Zootopia 2 livery on aircraft; in-flight screenings of original film; custom animated “Air Caribou” billboard in film.
- Crocs (Nov 11 – Dec 6) served up a worldwide collection of fuzz-lined clogs, platform styles, themed Jibbitz; 980+ retail takeovers; influencer screenings; in-film logo placement.
- Del Monte (Oct 1 – Dec 31) – There were over 523M co-branded pineapple tags and banana stickers on fruit around the world with in-store signage, digital promotions with recipes; sweepstakes for five-night Dubai trip and tickets.
- MINISO (Oct 10 – Dec 31) – There was a spot in 7k+ stores; themed pop-ups across 11 locations (US, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore, Vietnam, India, Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia); custom animated storefronts in film.
- Additional Partners included Kellogg’s Froot Loops (1,000 limited boxes with Funko/ticket bundle), Pure Life (3M+ bottles, studio lot sweepstakes), Govee (custom curtain lights, 2.6k+ Best Buy/Target locations), isima (Shakira’s haircare brand with Ulta exclusive and influencer activations).
The trailer drop on May 20 timed to the release of Lilo & Stitch indicated anticipation was there for Zootopia 2 with 130M views in first 24 hours and the final trailer on Sept 29 pulling in 74M views in its first day.
One of the cute exhibitor tie-ins entailed an immersive experience for the sequel at AMC Century City in LA with “The Moovies,” a floor-to-ceiling wrap with parody posters (Devil Wears Preyda 2, The Incredibulls 3, Toy Ssstory 5). Also getting a makeover for the movie was Disney’s own El Capitan in Hollywood renamed the “El Hopitan”. There were also12-foot bus displays at AMC Americana/Kips Bay; and touring statues across 12 theaters.
AMC Dine-In in Disney Springs in Florida did $346K through EOD yesterday, the highest grossing location in the nation. Repeating the stat here: 21% came from premium large format and Imax (4% from Imax, 17% from PLFs with 12% from 3D).
Evident that the movie played “everywhere” can be seen in the EntTelligence breakdown: 38% of the foot traffic were in markets that ranged in population size from 1M to over 2.5M (high urban) versus 62% of admissions which were in cities of 500K or less. Rural and high rural areas (1K-500K) pulled in 36% admissions. Big matinee play, of course, with 60% of the audience watching Zootopia 2 before 5PM yesterday.
Universal’s Wicked: For Good is filing a second weekend of $62.8M (-57%), and a 5-day of $93M for a running cume of $270.4M.
- Zootopia 2 (Dis) 4,000 theaters, Wed $39.5M, Thursday $19.7M Friday $38.5M Sat $35.8M Sun $22.5M 3-day $96.8M, 5-day $156M/Wk 1
Third highest 3-day domestic opening for Walt Disney Animation movie behind Moana 2 and Frozen 2. - Wicked: For Good (Uni) 4,115 theaters, Wed. $17.4M, Thursday $12.57M Fri $26M Sat $21.6M Sun $15M 3-day $62.8M (-57%), 5-day $93M, Total $270.4M/Wk 2
- Now You See Me: Now You Don’t (LG) 3,092 (-311) theatres, Wed $1.42M, Thu $1.67M Fri $2.6M Sat $2.7M Sun $1.6M 3-day $7M (-22%) 5-day $10M, Total $49.6M/Wk 3
- Predator: Badlands (Dis) 2,750 theaters, Wed $900K, Thu $925K Fri $1.8M Sat $1.9M Sun $1.1M 3-day $4.8M (-26%), 5-day $6.6M/Total $85M/Wk 4
As we told you earlier, this is now the highest grossing Predator in the franchise at the domestic B.O. besting 2004’s Alien vs. Predator‘s $80.2M. Disney last weekend called Badlands the highest grossing overall in the franchise in a like-for-like currency comparison, however, at $173M global currently, the Dan Trachtenberg directed movie still has $4M left to go to beat the recorded final global gross of Alien vs. Predator at $177.4M. - Running Man (Par) 2,749 (-297) theaters, Wed $840K Thu $980K Fri $1.4M Sat $1.45M Sun $850K 3-day $3.7M (-35%), 5-day $5.5M, Total $34.2M/ Wk 3
- Eternity (A24) 1,348 theaters, Wed $1.45M (includes previews), Thu $616K Fri $1.1M Sat $1.2M Sun $826K 3 day $3.16M, 5 day $5.2M/Wk 1
The Elizabeth Olsen, Callum Turner and Miles Teller romcom which cost around $15M before P&A is being comped to A24’s Priscilla which did $5M over 3 days at a similar number of theaters. An expansion is expected. Priscilla, which was a dreamy bio-drama, grossed just under $21M at the domestic B.O. - Wake Up Dead Man (Netflix) 600 theaters, Wed $600K, Thu $400K Fri $600K Sat $400K 5-day $4.25M/Wk 1
Dailies are for only those theaters reporting. Sources tell us the 5-day is $4M. More on that later. - Rental Family (Sea) 1,925 theaters, Wednesday $400K, Thu $575K Fri $800K Sat $800K Sun $500K 3-day $2.1M (-36%), 5-day $3M, Total $7.39M/Wk 2.
- Hamnet (Foc) 119 theaters Wed $310K, Thu $160K Fri $310K Sat $350K Sun $220K 3-day $880K, 5-day $1.35M/5-day per theater $11,3K (third best of the weekend behind Zootopia 2‘s $39K per theater and Wicked 2‘s $22,6K theater average/Wk 1
- Sisu: Road to Revenge (Sony) 2,222 theaters Wed $200K, Thu $205K Fri $290K Sat $310K Sun 3-day $810K (-66%), 5-day $1.2M, Total $4.1M/Wk 2