Disney has officially reclaimed the Thanksgiving holiday throne. The highly anticipated animated sequel Zootopia 2 roared into theaters this weekend and delivered a performance that has industry analysts stunned. The film brought families out in droves to secure a massive $156 million opening over the five day holiday window.
It seems like the House of Mouse has found the perfect recipe for November success. This opening lands the film at the number two spot for all time Thanksgiving debuts. It sits right behind another Disney giant, Moana 2, which set the record last year with $225 million. But the domestic numbers are just the tip of the iceberg. The global performance hints that this might become one of the biggest animated movies in history.
Disney Continues To Dominate The Holiday Season
The domestic box office is alive and well.
The $156 million haul for Zootopia 2 proves that family audiences are still the most reliable demographic for movie theaters. Directors Jared Bush and Byron Howard have crafted a follow up that critics and fans adore. The movie earned an A Cinemascore rating from opening day audiences.
This score usually indicates that a film will have long legs. We can expect it to keep playing well into December.
Critical Reception Breakdown:
- Rotten Tomatoes: 91% Fresh
- Metacritic: 73 Score
- Cinemascore: A Grade
Disney needed this win. While their track record is strong, consistent hits are vital for the studio. This film marks the best reviews for Walt Disney Animation Studios in nearly a decade, rivaling the praise for Encanto.
The timing could not be better. There is a clear runway for the film to make money.
It has nearly three weeks of open road before the next major heavyweights arrive. The box office landscape will change on December 19. That is when Avatar: Fire and Ash and The SpongeBob Movie: Search for Squarepants enter the race. Until then, Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde are in charge.
Zootopia 2 box office records thanksgiving weekend global opening
Global Box Office Numbers Are Even Bigger
If you think the domestic numbers are good, the international figures are mind blowing.
Zootopia 2 has accumulated a staggering $556 million globally in just its first frame. This makes it the fourth biggest global opening in history. It is also a record global opening for any animated film ever released.
The real story here is China.
For the past few years, Hollywood movies have struggled to find traction in the Chinese market. That dry spell is officially over. The sequel pulled in $273 million from China alone. It is currently on track to become the highest grossing Hollywood release in China of all time.
“This is a huge turnaround for Hollywood studio releases in China since the pandemic. The appetite for Western animation has returned with full force.”
The movie even broke a specific record held by Marvel. On Saturday, it earned $104 million in a single day in China. This beat the record previously held by Avengers: Endgame for a non Chinese release. This level of success suggests that the brand is stronger now than it was when the first film launched in 2016.
Wicked Part Two Holds Strong In Second Place
The box office has plenty of room for two blockbusters.
Coming in second place was Wicked for Good. The second part of Jon M. Chu’s adaptation of the Broadway musical earned another $93 million over the holiday. This pushes its domestic total to $270 million.
This is a solid result for Universal Pictures.
The film is pacing slightly ahead of where the first Wicked movie was at this same point last year. While sequels often earn less than the original, this film is already a financial success. The production costs for both movies were covered by the massive $758 million gross of the first film.
Current Box Office Standings (5-Day Holiday):
| Rank | Movie Title | 5-Day Gross | Total Domestic |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zootopia 2 | $156 Million | $156 Million |
| 2 | Wicked for Good | $93 Million | $270 Million |
| 3 | Now You See Me 3 | $10.1 Million | $59.6 Million |
Everything Wicked for Good earns now is pure profit. A global finish between $500 million and $600 million is all but guaranteed.
Third place went to Now You See Me Now You Don’t. The Lionsgate caper added $10.1 million to its coffer. It sits at $59.6 million domestic and $187 million globally. The budget was reported at $90 million. It seems to be performing well enough overseas to justify its existence, including a surprising $13 million from Russia.
Limited Releases Struggle To Find Space
Not every film had a record breaking weekend.
Smaller films and streaming hybrids faced a tough battle for screens. Netflix released Rian Johnson’s third mystery film, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. It opened on approximately 600 screens but only managed $4 million.
This is a sharp drop from the previous film.
Glass Onion made $13.2 million during its theatrical preview four years ago. However, the context is different this time. Major chains like AMC and Regal refused to book the film. This limited the potential audience significantly.
Many fans likely did not even know it was playing in theaters.
Netflix also did not push the marketing as hard as they did for the previous installment. Rian Johnson even took to social media to remind fans the movie was out. Despite the soft box office, the quality is there. It holds a 95% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Other Notable Limited Releases:
- Eternity (A24): $5.2 million from 1,348 theaters. A decent start for a rom-com with mixed reviews.
- Hamnet (Focus Features): $1.35 million from 119 theaters. This implies a strong per screen average of over $11,000.
Awards season contenders like Hamnet are just getting started. We will likely see them expand to more cities as nominations are announced.
The Thanksgiving box office of 2025 has proven one thing very clearly. When studios give audiences high quality entertainment that appeals to all ages, the theaters will be full. Zootopia 2 has set a high bar for the rest of the holiday season. It successfully brought back the massive crowds that theaters desperately need. As we head into December, the momentum is undeniable. Moviegoing is back as a primary holiday tradition for families around the world.
What do you think about the massive success of Zootopia 2? Did you head to the theaters this weekend to see it? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below or share your experience on social media using the hashtag #Zootopia2.
