It’s a bigger opening than the first Sonic movie.
Watch: Sonic The Hedgehog 3 official trailer (Paramount)
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 has secured the box-office top spot, as it bested Mufasa: The Lion King.
The Sonic threequel exceeded expectations in North America, where it was projected to gross between $55 million and $60 million.
Starring Ben Schwartz and Jim Carrey, the movie has opened to $62 million from 3,761 cinemas in the domestic market. This was a better debut than the first film in the speedy hedgehog saga, 2020’s Sonic the Hedgehog ($58 million in February), and just below the 2022 sequel, which earned $72 million in March (via Variety).
The festive-season release might’ve boosted audience numbers for Sonic 3, with distributor Paramount Pictures opting for a December slot after the box-office success of the first sequel.
“As we’ve seen this franchise’s audience grow, we saw a window in the marketplace in December where we thought we could stand out,” Paramount’s president of domestic distribution Chris Aronson said. “We’ve been able to accomplish that. Sonic is going to dominate through the holidays.”
Meanwhile, the Lion King prequel has fallen behind with $35 million from 4,100 cinemas. The Barry Jenkins-directed sequel hasn’t delivered on the pre-release expectations of $50 million and has grossed just above a tenth of the $300-million cost of producing and marketing.
Mufasa also earned mixed reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics saying that Jenkins’ authorial style gets watered down in the Disney flick.
As for the third Sonic the Hedgehog, the movie is currently Certified Fresh on the review aggregator, convincing critics with its self-aware, boisterous humour and compelling visuals.
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