‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’ Races to $62 Million Opening, ‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ Struggles with $35 Million Debut

Paramount’s Sonic the Hedgehog 3 surged to the top of the box office this weekend, earning $62 million from 3,761 theaters in its debut. The film exceeded early projections of $55-$60 million and performed better than the 2020 original, which opened at $58 million. Although it trailed the 2022 sequel’s $72 million debut, the strong reception from audiences and critics alike suggests the franchise will dominate the holiday season.

The film, directed by Jeff Fowler and starring Ben Schwartz as the voice of Sonic and Jim Carrey reprising his role as Dr. Robotnik, garnered an “A” CinemaScore and an 86% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Paramount’s president of domestic distribution, Chris Aronson, praised the decision to release the movie in December, where it could stand out in a competitive market.

Meanwhile, Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King, a prequel to the 2019 live-action Lion King, stumbled with a $35 million domestic opening from 4,100 theaters. Falling short of its $50 million projection, the $200 million production (plus an additional $100 million marketing budget) faces a challenging road ahead despite its “A-” CinemaScore. However, its $122.2 million global opening, including $87.2 million from international markets, provides some hope for a holiday rebound.

The weekend’s box office results also saw Wicked earn $13.5 million in its fifth week, followed closely by Moana 2 at $13.1 million. Paramount’s Gladiator II added $4.45 million to its global total, reaching $416.2 million from a $250 million budget.

Despite Sonic 3’s success, overall domestic ticket sales remain 4.3% behind 2023 levels and 23% below pre-pandemic 2019 figures. With fewer family-focused films this season, industry analysts remain cautiously optimistic about Mufasa’s ability to pick up momentum during the holidays. For now, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 speeds ahead, cementing its status as a franchise favorite.