MW After months of box-office busts, Hollywood roars back with 'Zootopia 2'
By Lukas I. Alpert
The Disney sequel set a record for an animated-film opening, while the second part of Universal's 'Wicked' continues its smash run despite poor reviews
Disney's "Zootopia 2" opened to huge ticket sales after a long string of disappointments for Hollywood studios.
When things look bleak in Hollywood, it is often a sequel that saves the day.
After months of box-office blues, with not one major studio hit, Hollywood came roaring back over Thanksgiving weekend with a record-setting opening by the sequel "Zootopia 2."
The hit movie from Walt Disney Co. $(DIS)$ took in $556 million worldwide in its five-day opening over the holiday weekend, marking the all-time biggest box-office launch of an animated film and the fourth best of any film ever.
The animated sequel drew in $156 million in the U.S. and $400 million abroad, more than half of it coming from China, according to Box Office Mojo, a website that tracks revenue.
That came hot on the heels of "Wicked: For Good" from Comcast Corp.'s $(CMCSA)$ Universal Pictures, which also put up big numbers over Thanksgiving weekend, bringing in $93 million over the five-day stretch. The "Wicked" sequel has earned just shy of $400 million worldwide since opening on Nov. 17, Box Office Mojo reported.
Disney's stock was up 2% in recent midday trading on Monday. It has rallied 4.6% amid a four-day winning streak, which started after it closed at a six-month low on Nov. 24. Comcast shares rose 0.5% Monday and have gained 1.4% since closing at an 11-year low on Nov. 24.
The double smash hits follow a long stretch in the doldrums for Hollywood, which saw a 27-year box-office low in October (not including the pandemic) and a string of 25 major releases that didn't include a major hit.
That comes after a summer season that was the worst-performing for Hollywood since 1981, with the exception of during the pandemic.
Box-office success can be dictated by many factors, including the strength of a slate of releases, timing, marketing and star power, but much of Hollywood's decline has been attributed to the shift in how people watch movies, from visiting cinemas to streaming at home.
Still, a strong sequel has often proved a cure for what ails Hollywood, and the Thanksgiving weekend was no exception.
Jared Bush, co-writer and co-director of "Zootopia 2" and chief creative officer of Walt Disney's animation studio, attributed the film's success to the way it speaks to everyone around the world.
"In 100 years, it's our most ambitious film that we've ever created at Disney Animation. And it is the most immersive environment you can imagine; the cinematography takes you to places we have never put onscreen before. But, more than that, it is filled with absolute joy," he said.
For Disney, the success of the "Zootopia" sequel comes six months after its remake of "Lilo and Stitch" brought in over $1 billion worldwide and also just a month after its release of "Tron: Ares" was considered to be a bust, earning just $142 million globally on a budget of over $200 million.
The "Wicked" sequel's performance is Universal's biggest success since "Jurassic World Rebirth," which has earned $867 million worldwide since its release in July.
-Lukas I. Alpert
This content was created by MarketWatch, which is operated by Dow Jones & Co. MarketWatch is published independently from Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
December 01, 2025 13:24 ET (18:24 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2025 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Comments