‘Moana 2’ sails to a record $221 million opening as Hollywood celebrates a moviegoing feast

Moana 2” brought in a flurry of moviegoers over the Thanksgiving weekend, setting a record with $221 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates on Sunday. That, along with “Wicked” and “Gladiator II,” made for an unprecedented weekend in theaters and a confluence of blockbusters as often found in late December. Walt Disney Co.’s “Moana 2” had high expectations, but the film — originally a one-off for Disney+before it was redirected to the big screen — blew predictions out of the water. Its five-day opening set a new record for Thanksgiving movie-going. (The previous best was $125 million for “Frozen 2” in its second week of release in 2019.) “Moana 2” added $165.3 million internationally. With $386 million worldwide, it is the second best global launch of the year. The Universal Pictures musical grossed $117.5 million over the five-day weekend, bringing its two-week global total to $359.2 million. Not accounting for inflation, “Wicked” is now the highest-grossing Broadway adaptation ahead of “Grease.” (The 1978 film grossed $190 million, but inflation would have topped $900 million.) Meanwhile, “Gladiator II,” also opened its opening weekendBug – more than $100 million more than before. For an industry that has been hit in recent years by the upheaval caused by pandemics, work stoppages and streaming, it was a triumphant weekend that underscored the still-powerful power of Hollywood’s blockbuster machine. revealed Before “Wicked,” “Moana 2” and “Gladiator II” hit theaters, ticket sales were lagging about 25 percent from pre-pandemic levels.