Disney’s Moana 2 Tops U.K. Box Office for Third Straight Weekend with £26.4M Total
Disney’s Moana 2 continues its reign at the U.K. and Ireland box office, holding the No. 1 spot for the third consecutive weekend. The animated blockbuster earned £3.6 million ($4.5 million) over the weekend, pushing its cumulative gross to a solid £26.4 million ($33.5 million), according to Comscore.
Top Performers: ‘Wicked’ and ‘Gladiator II’ Remain Steady
- Universal’s Wicked showed strong staying power in second place, adding £3.4 million in its fourth week and reaching an impressive total of £43.6 million.
- Paramount’s “Gladiator II” took third place with £918,256, raising its five-week total to £28.4 million.
- Studiocanal’s “Paddington in Peru” maintained its fourth-place position, earning £821,657 and achieving a six-week cumulative of £30.2 million.
New Entries and Highlights
- Sony’s “Kraven the Hunter” debuted in fifth place with a modest opening of £686,806.
- Warner Bros.’ “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim” opened in seventh with £483,583, signaling strong fan interest in the beloved franchise.
- Mubi’s arthouse title “Queer” launched in eighth place with £293,040, a solid start for an independent release.
- Warner Bros.’ festive film “Red One” added £259,405 in its sixth week for a total of £7.7 million.
Completing the top 10, AA Films U.K.’s “Pushpa 2 – The Rule”, a Telugu-language action sequel, earned £207,347, reaching an overall total of £1.6 million after its second week.
Upcoming Releases: ‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ Roars into Theaters
Looking ahead, Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King is set to dominate next weekend, with box office analysts predicting a strong opening for Barry Jenkins’ highly anticipated prequel. The film is expected to capitalize on the success of the Lion King franchise and generate significant pre-holiday buzz.
Additional releases include:
- Netflix’s Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl — arriving Wednesday in select theaters with fan-favorite voices like Ben Whitehead and Peter Kay.
- “Dolphin Boy” — a heartwarming animated tale distributed by Miracle/Dazzler.
- Indian titles “Vanvaas” (Hindi-language action drama) and “Marco” (Malayalam-language spin-off) will cater to regional cinema audiences.
Box Office Analysis: Year-End Battle Looms
The success of Moana 2 signals strong audience demand for animated blockbusters. With Mufasa: The Lion King debuting next weekend, Disney’s dominance may further intensify as the two films battle for year-end supremacy.
Industry experts also point to a steady performance from tentpoles like Wicked and Gladiator II, showcasing their staying power amidst new releases.
Top 10 U.K. Box Office (Weekend Performance):
- Moana 2 – £3.6M (Total: £26.4M)
- Wicked – £3.4M (Total: £43.6M)
- Gladiator II – £918K (Total: £28.4M)
- Paddington in Peru – £821K (Total: £30.2M)
- Kraven the Hunter – £686K
- Conclave – £554K (Total: £4M)
- The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim – £483K
- Queer – £293K
- Red One – £259K (Total: £7.7M)
- Pushpa 2: The Rule – £207K (Total: £1.6M)
