411 Box Office Report: Den Of Thieves 2: Pantera Opens At #1, Moana 2 Nears $1 Billion Worldwide

Lionsgate got its first box office topper in over a year with Den Of Thieves 2: Pantera, which led the way this weekend. The sequel to the 2018 actioner launched with $15.5 million to claim #1. That’s a slight improvement on the original film’s $15.2 million opening and gets Lionsgate off to a much-needed good start, opening at the high end of expectations which had it at $12 million to $15 million heading into the weekend.

The debut gives Lionsgate a win after an extremely rough 2024 that saw a host of failures in the last few months from the studio including The Crow, Megalopolis, The Killer’s Game and White Bird. (The studio did have one modest success in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.) It’s also a solid start on the film’s own merits after non-blockbuster action thrillers failed to galvanize the box office last year. In addition to The Crow and Killer’s Game, last year saw films like The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, Boy Kills World, Monkey Man, and 1992 fail to make marks, with The Beekeeper the only midbudget action thriller to find success.

Den of Thieves was not a film that many expected to get a sequel, despite the film legging its way into hit status. But the film has gained in reputation and gained a following on streaming, and the sequel was set up at STX before Lionsgate eventually took over. The studio threw a moderate marketing campaign behind it and it reaped the benefits. While reviews were lukewarm with a 58% RT critic aggregate, it’s still an improvement over the first film’s 41%. Audiences also like it more at a 79% RT audience score and a B+ CinemaScore, compared to the first’s 63% and B+.

The first film benefited from decent international numbers, which Pantera will likely have to rely on as well. Thus far the film has $5 million overseas with a number of big markets left to open. That puts the movie at $20.5 million worldwide thus far against a $40 million budget. Domestically it should be able to match the first film’s $44.9 million take, with the international receipts ultimately determine whether it’s a success before it hits home viewing.

Mufasa: The Lion King ceded its #1 spot, slipping 44% to $13.2 million in its fourth weekend. The Disney sequel continues to perform strongly as it has now quintupled its opening weekend for $188.8 million domestically and a solid $539.7 million worldwide against a $200 million budget, meaning it will ultimately be profitable for the studio. A $215 million domestic total seems likely at this point – certainly less than Disney hoped for, but still a success.

Sonic The Hedgehog 3 was down 48% in its fourth frame with $11 million, bringing the threequel’s numbers to $204.5 million in the US and $384.8 million worldwide. The video game adaptation has now surpassed Sonic 2’s $190.9 million to become the highest grosser in the franchise by that metric, with the sequel’s $405.2 million set to be topped as well. Sonic 3 is still looking likely for $225 million by the end of its run, making it a sizable hit against a $122 million budget.

Nosferatu was also down 48%, bringing in $6.8 million in its third weekend. Robert Eggers’ vampire remake is now Focus Features’ fourth-highest domestic grosser at $81.8 million with $135.8 million worldwide, a big hit against a $50 million budget. It is still likely to finish out at around $100 million stateside.

Moana 2 continued, the trend as it was down 48% in its seventh weekend. The Disney sequel scored another $6.5 million and now stands at $434.9 million domestically. It is a hair’s breadth away from $1 billion worldwide with $989.8 million, a mark that will surely be passed by the next weekend. The film is still on course for about $450 million, a major hit against a $150 million budget.

A Complete Unknown continued to have legs with the second-best hold in the top 10, down 39% in its third weekend to $5 million. The Bob Dylan biopic has $50.8 million, the highest grosser for Searchlight since 2017 when The Shape of Water totaled $63.9 million (when the studio was Fox Searchlight). Unknown still has a good shot to surpass that number and could top $70 million, with award season and the eventual international openings bringing it to a probable profit even with a $70 million budget.

Wicked is finally starting to lose some of its edge, down 50% in its eighth weekend with $5 million. No one’s shedding a tear for the blockbuster musical though, as it has $458.9 million stateside and $697.6 million worldwide against a $145 million budget for megahit status. The film Is still likely for $470 plus before it ends its US run; moreover, the film brought in $70 million in its first week (ending December 31st) of VOD sales and rentals. Universal is certainly looking forward to the receipts for Wicked: For Good next holiday season.

A24’s Babygirl had the best hold in the top 10 for a second weekend in a row, down 31% to $3.1 million. The Nicole Kidman erotic drama now has $21.7 million domestically and $24.7 million worldwide with only a handful international markets open thus far and most of the big ones yet to open. It should make it to $26 million or more by the end of its domestic run.

Indian political thriller Game Changer opened to #8 this weekend as it brought in $2.1 million. The Telugu-language film opened well in just 800 theaters and has a total of $31.6 million worldwide. Like most Indian-market films it should slip from the charts quickly but is in fine shape.

Pamela Anderson’s big-screen comeback arrived in solid shape as The Last Showgirl started at #10 with $1.5 million. The independent drama gave Roadside Attractions an opening on par with its Boy Kills World, which started at $1.7 million but cost less than $2 million to make compared to the actioner’s $18 million.

The Last Showgirl has been earning a lot of potential award buzz for Anderson and Jamie Lee Curtis, both of whom scored SAG Award nominations this past week. The film should be in fine shape considering the low budget and will be profitable, particularly when it hits digital and VOD.

It landed well off the charts, but Better Man had notably bad opening with just $1.1 million. That’s not good news for Paramount Pictures. The Robbie Williams biopic (except Williams is portrayed as a monkey) was a big swing and while critics and fans liked it with an 87% RT critic aggregate and a 94% audience score, there was just no interest here. The film cost $110 million, and even though Paramount’s pick-up cost was just $25 million (which was co-financed) it’s not going to make them money. The film also failed to make a mark in Williams’ home country of the UK; it has $1.5 million domestically and $10 million worldwide.

Next weekend will see a new #1 as Universal’s Wolf Man from Leigh Whannell arrives with an expected $20 million to $25 million. Meanwhile, the Keke Palmer and SZA comedy One of Them Days should open in the mid to high single digits.

BOX OFFICE TOP TEN (Three-Day Domestic Numbers)
1. Den of Thieves: Pantera – $15.5 million ($15.5 million total, $20.5 million WW)
2. Mufasa: The Lion King – $13.2 million ($188.8 million total, $539.7 million WW)
3. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 – $11 million ($204.5 million total, $384.8 million WW)
4. Nosferatu – $6.8 million ($81.8 million total, $135.8 million WW)
5. Moana 2 – $6.5 million ($434.9 million total, $989.8 million WW)
6. A Complete Unknown – $5 million ($50.8 million total, $50.8 million WW)
7. Wicked – $5 million ($458.9 million total, $697.6 million WW)
8. Babygirl – $3.1 million ($21.7 million total, $24.1 million WW)
9. Game Changer – $2.1 million ($2.1 million total, $31.6 million WW)
10. The Last Showgirl – $1.5 million ($1.5 million total, $1.5 million WW)