Despite Sonic the Hedgehog 3 performing consistently with industry forecasts, both Mufasa and particularly Kraven the Hunter are struggling significantly with audience reception. This discrepancy in box office performance highlights the varying levels of interest and expectations from moviegoers for these two major releases.

The ongoing box office competition between Disney’s Mufasa, a prequel to the beloved Lion King, and Paramount’s Sonic the Hedgehog 3 appears to have been decisively won by the latter even before its official launch. According to insights from Deadline, Sonic 3 has achieved an impressive $70.5 million opening weekend, more than doubling the earnings of Mufasa, which is projected to rake in between $36 million and $38 million. This stark contrast is particularly alarming when considering that the 2019 remake of The Lion King debuted with a staggering $191 million. Nonetheless, with the festive season underway, Mufasa may still reach over $100 million domestically, buoyed by its A-minus CinemaScore rating, suggesting that positive word-of-mouth could help its longevity into 2025.

In an exciting twist, both Moana 2 and Wicked are in a tight race, each anticipating approximately $14 million in earnings for the weekend. However, the fifth spot on the leaderboard reveals a surprising outcome as Sony’s ambitious project, Kraven the Hunter, is projected to experience an astonishing 72% drop in box office revenue this weekend, resulting in a disappointing seventh-place finish behind Gladiator II. Meanwhile, Angel Studios’ faith-based film Homestead, essentially a feature-length introduction to a new streaming series, is set to break into the top five with a commendable $5.5 million, despite being shown on less than 2000 screens. While it may not achieve record-breaking success, this performance reflects Angel Studios’ ability to connect with faith-oriented viewers, although their recent films have struggled to attract mainstream audiences like Sound of Freedom.

Another film that is facing significant challenges this weekend is Lord of the Rings: The War of Rohirrim, which is also expected to suffer a staggering audience decline of at least 70%, landing it in ninth place. This film may not even reach $10 million in domestic earnings. Unfortunately for Kraven, its financial woes are even more severe, with its production costs soaring to $125 million and projections indicating it may not surpass $25 million in domestic receipts, marking it as a far more significant financial loss compared to Madame Web.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on this weekend’s box office results! Share your insights and opinions in the comments section below!