Disney’s Zootopia 2 delivered a record-setting debut with a $556 million global opening since its Wednesday release, marking the highest international opening ever for an animated film, according to studio estimates released Sunday.
The animated sequel earned $96 million in North America over the weekend and $156 million during the five-day Thanksgiving frame. The strong turnout contributed to a total of $290 million in domestic ticket sales across all films during the holiday period.
“This is a great result and a big momentum builder for the box office as we head into the final four weeks of the year,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for Comscore.
China accounted for nearly half of Zootopia 2’s global haul, contributing $272 million. It is the biggest opening for an American-made animated film in the country and the second-largest opening for any nonlocal film behind Avengers: Endgame.
The film’s success in China is notable given recent unpredictability in the country’s theatrical market, where Hollywood titles have struggled amid shifting geopolitical dynamics and competition from locally produced blockbusters.
The original Zootopia, released in 2016 and known as Crazy Animal City in China, became a surprise hit there with $236 million in ticket sales. Shanghai Disneyland also features a themed land based on the franchise.
Featuring the voices of Ginnifer Goodwin as Judy Hopps and Jason Bateman as Nick Wilde, the sequel arrives nearly a decade after the first film, which opened domestically with $75 million.
Universal’s Wicked: For Good also performed strongly over the weekend, earning $62.8 million domestically for a North American total of $270.4 million and $393 million internationally. Its second-weekend results indicate continued interest in the two-part Broadway adaptation.
Awards contender Hamnet posted a successful limited release, earning $880,000 from 119 theaters over the weekend. Directed by Chloé Zhao and starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal, the film expands nationwide next weekend.
The strong performances from Zootopia 2 and Wicked: For Good provide a boost for Hollywood as theaters enter the final month of the year. Upcoming releases such as Avatar: Fire and Ash and Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 are expected to further bolster the holiday season.