'Mufasa' Roars To The Top Of Box Office Charts

Idris Elba, from left, Jim Carrey and Keanu Reeves pose together for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'Sonic the Hedgehog 3' in London, on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024. (Photo by Scott

The first weekend of 2025 saw 'Mufasa,' the prequel to Disney's 'The Lion King,' claiming the top spot at the North American box office with earnings of $23.8 million in its third weekend. Following closely behind was Paramount's 'Sonic the Hedgehog 3,' which brought in $21.2 million, pushing its total domestic earnings to $187.5 million and helping the franchise surpass $1 billion worldwide. 'Mufasa' has accumulated $169.2 million to date.

In a surprising turn, Focus Features' 'Nosferatu' remake experienced only a 39% decline in its second weekend, a notable feat in the horror genre where steep drops are common. The film added 140 screens and garnered $13.2 million, reaching a total of $69.4 million since its Christmas release. Despite exceeding its reported $50 million production budget, 'Nosferatu' still has marketing and promotion costs to consider.

The box office top 10 featured holdovers from previous weeks, as no new wide releases debuted. Disney's 'Moana 2' secured the fourth spot in its sixth weekend, amassing $12.4 million and pushing its global earnings to $960.5 million. The Bob Dylan biopic 'A Complete Unknown' saw a slight dip in its second weekend, bringing in $8.1 million and totaling $41.7 million, becoming Searchlight's highest-grossing film post-Disney acquisition.

'Nosferatu' remake impresses with a 39% decline in its second weekend.

'Mufasa' leads with $23.8 million, 'Sonic the Hedgehog 3' follows with $21.2 million.

'Moana 2' and 'A Complete Unknown' maintain strong performances.

'Babygirl' and 'Wicked' hold steady in the top 10.

'Seven' IMAX re-release earns over $1 million.

A24's 'Babygirl' maintained its earnings at $4.5 million after adding 49 locations. 'Wicked,' a Thanksgiving leftover from Universal, earned $10.2 million despite being available for purchase on VOD. The movie musical is a contender at the Golden Globes, vying for several awards.

Additionally, the IMAX re-release of David Fincher's 4K restoration of 'Seven' generated over $1 million from 200 locations. The 2025 box office year commenced on a positive note, showing a 20% increase from the same weekend in 2024.

Final domestic figures will be disclosed on Monday. The estimated ticket sales for the weekend are as follows:

1. 'Mufasa: The Lion King' - $23.8 million
2. 'Sonic the Hedgehog 3' - $21.2 million
3. 'Nosferatu' - $13.2 million
4. 'Moana 2' - $12.4 million
5. 'Wicked' - $10.2 million
6. 'A Complete Unknown' - $8.1 million
7. 'Babygirl' - $4.5 million
8. 'Gladiator II' - $2.7 million
9. 'Homestead' - $2.1 million
10. 'The Fire Inside' - $1.2 million