Thanksgiving has always felt like the Super Bowl of moviegoing, hasn’t it? Families stuffed with turkey, kids bouncing off the walls from pie-induced sugar highs, and everyone looking for the perfect escape at the cinema. This year, two heavyweight sequels stepped into the ring ready to deliver exactly that – and early signs show they’re landing some serious punches.
A Holiday Weekend That Still Packs a Punch
Let’s be honest: following last year’s absolutely bonkers Thanksgiving frame was never going to be easy. When you’ve got a record $424.9 million five-day haul sitting there like an unbeatable high score, anything less feels almost disappointing. Yet here we are in 2025, and the box office is showing real muscle again – just in a slightly different flavor.
The leaders of the pack? Disney Animation’s long-awaited Zootopia 2 and Universal’s dazzling Wicked: For Good. Between them, they’re reminding everyone why the holiday corridor remains one of the most valuable real estate spots on the release calendar.
Zootopia 2 Roars Out of the Gate
Ten. Point. Two. Million. Dollars. That’s what the bunny-and-fox duo pulled in Tuesday night previews alone. Think about that for a second – families hadn’t even carved the turkey yet, and kids were already dragging parents to see Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde solve another mystery.
To put it in perspective, that $10.2 million makes it the second-highest preview night ever for a Disney Animation title. Only last year’s juggernaut Moana 2 sits above it with $13.8 million. Eighth-highest animated preview of all time? Yeah, that’s the kind of heat we’re talking about.
Current projections have the film racing toward $135 million to $150 million over the full five-day weekend. Sure, it won’t touch Moana 2’s insane $225 million from 2024, but in a year where theaters have been fighting for every ticket, that number feels like a genuine win.
The combination of built-in brand recognition, a perfect family-friendly release date, and that golden PG rating is pure catnip for holiday audiences.
Six years is a long wait for a sequel, but early buzz suggests the studio used that time wisely. The story throws our favorite detectives into a reptile-fueled chaos that apparently flips the entire mammal metropolis on its head. Kids get the bright colors and talking animals they crave; parents get clever humor that actually lands. Win-win.
Wicked: For Good Defies Gravity (Again)
If you thought the Wicked phenomenon was going to cool off after its massive opening last weekend, think again. The second chapter is showing the kind of legs that make theater owners weep happy tears.
After debuting to $147 million – already the second-biggest opening of 2025 – analysts now expect another $80 million to $100 million over the Thanksgiving frame. Some are even whispering it could push higher, given how the first Wicked crushed the same weekend last year with $118 million in its second frame.
There’s something magical happening when a musical this big, this colorful, and this emotionally resonant hits screens during the holidays. Grandmas, moms, daughters – sometimes three generations – are showing up together. That’s the kind of word-of-mouth money can’t buy.
Why Thanksgiving Still Rules the Calendar
Look, summer gets the tentpoles, December gets the awards contenders, but Thanksgiving? This is when Hollywood rolls out the crowd-pleasers everyone can agree on. No school on Friday, travel days that trap relatives together, and a collective desire to do something that isn’t arguing about politics at the dinner table.
- Five full days of potential moviegoing
- Built-in multi-generational appeal for family films
- Cold weather driving people indoors
- Black Friday mornings surprisingly open for early shows
- That post-meal “we need to get out of the house” energy
It all adds up to one of the most reliable box office corridors of the year. Even in a “down” year compared to 2024’s perfect storm, industry watchers are confident we’re looking at a top-five Thanksgiving performance historically. That’s not chopped liver.
The Bigger Picture for Theaters
I’ve been following box office trends long enough to know that every strong weekend matters right now. Theaters have been through the wringer these past few years – pandemic hangovers, streaming competition, strike delays pushing films around like chess pieces.
When two films can combine for potentially $250 million-plus over five days, that’s oxygen. Real, tangible oxygen for an industry that still relies heavily on concession sales and full auditoriums to keep the lights on.
And let’s talk about that concession bump for a minute. A PG animated film means kids begging for the $18 light-up popcorn bucket shaped like Nick Wilde’s badge. A musical phenomenon means theaters selling out premium large-format screens at $25 a ticket. Every little bit helps.
What This Means for the Rest of 2025
Perhaps the most encouraging part? These aren’t just random hits. They’re proof that when studios deliver what audiences actually want – recognizable characters, emotional resonance, and that big-screen spectacle you can’t get at home – people still show up in droves.
We’re heading into December with some heavy hitters on deck, and a Thanksgiving weekend that likely lands north of $300 million total gives the entire industry momentum. Theater stocks might even get a little holiday bump come Monday morning.
In my experience covering these holiday frames, the psychological impact matters almost as much as the raw dollars. When families leave the theater smiling, talking about what they just saw, making plans to come back next weekend – that’s the real magic. That’s what keeps moviegoing culture alive.
So yeah, we probably won’t beat last year’s record. But honestly? Coming this close with just two major players feels like a victory lap anyway. The bunny and the witch have spoken – and movie theaters are very much open for business this holiday season.
Whatever you end up seeing this weekend – whether it’s singing along in Oz or solving crimes with a fox who’s entirely too smooth for law enforcement – enjoy it. These are the weekends that remind us why we fell in love with movies in the first place.
