Black Friday is typically one of the highest grossing days of the year at the box office, but this year it’s coursing to an all-time record with around $107M+ for all movies, led by Disney’s Moana 2.
Today also has a shot at being the highest grossing day of 2024 to date, outstripping Friday, July 26’s $118.3M which is what all films grossed when Deadpool & Wolverine opened to an R-Rated opening day and weekend record ($96.1M, $211.4M).
There’s such a frenzy for Moana 2, Universal’s Wicked, and Paramount’s Gladiator II tickets that AMC at one point time this morning was experiencing a 13-minute wait time for tickets. That’s a rich man’s problem for the No. 1 exhibitor. The circuit has the situation under control I’m told.
Today will easily excel the previous Black Friday record of $85M per Comscore which was back in 2013 when Lionsgate’s The Hunger Games: Catching Fire was the No. 1 title over the Wednesday-Sunday Thanksgiving period.
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Moana 2 is expected to do at least $55M today, which would make it a Black Friday record for the No. 1 grossing film, above Frozen II‘s $34.1M back in 2019. Wicked is on course to do $27M today while Paramount’s Gladiator II is looking at $12.6M. Moana 2 is already blowing away the Frozen II $125M 5-day record over Thanksgiving and could do $200M+. Wicked is looking at the fourth best take over the holiday frame with $105.6M while Gladiator II is looking at $45M.
As we first told you, Dwayne Johnson has accomplished a rare feat for a Hollywood leading star at the box office: With Moana 2 and Red One, he’s the first to have two No. 1 openings in the same month.