Disney’s Zootopia 2 Dominates Thanksgiving Box Office With Record-Breaking $156 Million Weekend
Disney has once again taken command of the Thanksgiving box office, as Zootopia 2 delivered a massive $156 million in North America over the five-day holiday weekend. The animated sequel, packed with humor, heart and a familiar cast of beloved characters, lived up to industry expectations and reaffirmed Disney’s dominance in family entertainment.
The film marks the return of the dynamic duo Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde, voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin and Jason Bateman, along with Idris Elba reprising his role. As a follow-up to the Oscar-winning 2016 hit, the sequel brings back the themes of friendship, courage and social awareness that made the original a global sensation.
Industry analyst David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research described the opening as “outstanding for an animation follow-up sequel,” noting that Disney and Pixar sequels typically outperform their predecessors. On average, second films under these studios start 71 percent stronger at the box office — a trend Zootopia 2 has successfully continued.
The film also made major waves internationally. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Zootopia 2 amassed $556 million globally over its opening weekend, marking the biggest worldwide launch ever for an animated film. Its strong performance in China further cemented its global appeal.
While Zootopia 2 led comfortably, the rest of the box office lineup also saw significant movement. In second place, Universal’s Wicked: For Good earned $93 million. The musical fantasy continues the saga of Elphaba and Glinda, offering a vibrant retelling inspired by the iconic Broadway production and Gregory Maguire’s novel.
Third place went to Lionsgate’s Now You See Me: Now You Don’t, which brought in $10 million. The third installment reunites Jesse Eisenberg, Isla Fisher, Dave Franco and Woody Harrelson as a team of heist-performing illusionists bent on taking down dangerous criminals.
Predator: Badlands, the latest addition to the long-running sci-fi horror franchise, claimed fourth place with $6.6 million. Meanwhile, Paramount’s reimagining of Stephen King’s The Running Man, starring Glen Powell, secured fifth with $5.5 million.
Rounding out the top ten titles were:
Eternity ($5.2 million)
Rental Family ($3.1 million)
Nuremberg ($1.1 million)
Sisu: Road to Revenge ($1 million)
Regretting You ($705,000)
With an explosive start that set a global animation record, Zootopia 2 is positioned for a strong run throughout the holiday season, reaffirming the franchise’s status as one of Disney’s most successful modern creations.
