Imagine the thrill of holiday movie season, where blockbuster hits clash in a frenzy of popcorn and ticket sales—it's the ultimate showdown that could redefine family entertainment for years. But here's where it gets controversial: What if one animated gem overshadows another, sparking debates on what really draws crowds to theaters? Dive in as we explore six weeks of box office insights and predictions, keeping you hooked on the magic and the mayhem.
6-Week Box Office Tracking & Forecasts: Disney’s ZOOTOPIA 2 Could Challenge MOANA 2’s Thanksgiving Record with $115-130M+ Over 3 Days; WICKED: FOR GOOD’s Pre-Sales Suggest a Potential $155M+ Haul – Insights from Box Office Theory
- October 17, 2025
- Shared by Shawn Robbins (https://boxofficetheory.com/author/boxofficetheory/)
For the complete analysis, head over to Box Office Theory’s Substack newsletter at (https://boxofficetheory.substack.com/p/6-week-box-office-tracking-and-forecasts-zootopia2-115-130-rival-moana2-thanksgiving-wicked-for-good-155).
Core Tracking Insights and Reasoning:
- November 26:
** Thanksgiving weekend looks set to be a major draw once more, kicking off with Disney’s Zootopia 2—the first big studio animated flick since The Bad Guys 2 hit screens in August. To put it in perspective, the original Zootopia debuted with $75.1 million domestically back in 2016, a feat that still ranks as the sixth-highest opening weekend for a fresh, non-franchise-based story film. For beginners, this means it's a brand-new tale, not tied to established characters like superheroes, which makes its success even more impressive.
** Although films like Lilo & Stitch and How to Train Your Dragon have filled some gaps, 2025 hasn't seen the kind of animated blockbuster that shook things up like last year's Inside Out 2 or Moana 2. Picture this: built-up excitement from fans who've been waiting, plus the warm glow of nostalgia for the 2017 original—which raked in $341 million domestically and a whopping $1.02 billion worldwide—could create a perfect storm. Add to that the extended holiday season running from Thanksgiving right through Christmas and New Year's, and you've got a recipe for massive appeal. For those new to box office buzz, this 'pent-up demand' is like how people rush for limited-edition items; it's all about that eager anticipation turning into ticket sales.
** Even though 2024 saw Wicked and Moana 2 sharing the spotlight without much conflict, this year's Wicked: For Good might edge out its predecessor right from the start and potentially steal some family viewers from Zootopia 2. And this is the part most people miss: During the holidays, families often catch multiple movies, with Wicked leaning more toward adult women audiences, so the competition might not be as fierce as you'd think. Zootopia 2's real kid-focused rival won't arrive until later in December with Paramount’s The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants. Think of it as different flavors of ice cream—some appeal to kids, others to grown-ups, but everyone can find something tasty.
** To mix things up, A24’s Eternity steps in as a romantic drama starring Elizabeth Olsen, Miles Teller, and Callum Turner. Having earned rave reviews at film festivals already, it's poised to attract A24's dedicated fanbase alongside casual couples looking for a cozy date night outing. For newcomers, A24 is known for indie films that often surprise with depth and emotion, not just explosions.
** Rounding out the five-day Thanksgiving lineup is Rian Johnson’s Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. While Netflix's theater strategy for this one isn't fully clear yet, it's expected to get at least a five-day run with a similar number of locations as 2022’s Glass Onion. Grosses might come from unofficial reports, as Netflix doesn't always share official numbers. This subtle move highlights the ongoing debate: Should streaming giants like Netflix fully disclose theater earnings, or does it blur the lines of traditional box office success?
- Wicked: For Good update:
** On the flip side, the sequel we just mentioned, Wicked: For Good, shows no signs of cooling off in advance ticket sales—it's already outpacing the first film's numbers at this stage. While we're still watching to see how last year's cultural phenomenon affects ticket buying patterns, For Good is on track for one of the strongest musical debuts ever. Could it even challenge Beauty and the Beast’s record-breaking $174.8 million opening? Time will reveal all, but it's sparking conversations about whether musicals are making a comeback in a world dominated by franchises.
6-Week Box Office Schedule, Tracking, and Predictions as of 10/16/25
(Note: Detailed ranges and exact forecasts are exclusive to our Substack newsletter subscribers.) (https://boxofficetheory.substack.com/p/6-week-box-office-tracking-and-forecasts-zootopia2-115-130-rival-moana2-thanksgiving-wicked-for-good-155)
Release Date
Title
Distributor
3-Day (FSS) LOW-END Opening
3-Day (FSS) HIGH-END Opening
3-Day (FSS) PINPOINT Opening Forecast
5-Day (WTFSS) PINPOINT Opening Forecast
Domestic Total LOW-END
Domestic Total HIGH-END
Domestic Total PINPOINT Forecast
10/24/2025
Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc
Sony Pictures
$10,000,000
$15,000,000
$12,400,000
$15,000,000
$28,000,000
$19,500,000
10/24/2025
Regretting You
Paramount Pictures
$11,000,000
$16,000,000
$13,000,000
$29,300,000
$51,800,000
$45,000,000
10/24/2025
Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
Disney
$20,000,000
$27,000,000
$24,000,000
$67,000,000
$94,000,000
$75,000,000
10/31/2025
Back to the Future (40th Anniversary)
Universal Pictures
$4,000,000
$6,500,000
$5,500,000
$5,000,000
$9,750,000
$8,300,000
10/31/2025
Bugonia (Wide Expansion)
Focus Features
$1,500,000
$5,000,000
$2,000,000
$5,000,000
$18,000,000
$7,000,000
11/7/2025
Christy
Black Bear
$2,000,000
$5,000,000
$3,000,000
$5,000,000
$20,000,000
$10,000,000
11/7/2025
Predator: Badlands
Disney
$20,000,000
$30,000,000
$25,000,000
$44,000,000
$72,000,000
$52,600,000
11/7/2025
Sarah’s Oil
Amazon MGM Studios
$1,000,000
$3,000,000
$1,000,000
$2,750,000
$10,000,000
$2,500,000
11/14/2025
Now You See Me: Now You Don’t
Lionsgate
$12,000,000
$17,000,000
$12,000,000
$34,000,000
$49,000,000
$40,000,000
11/14/2025
Keeper
NEON
$6,000,000
$11,000,000
$7,500,000
$15,000,000
$29,000,000
$19,000,000
11/14/2025
The Running Man (2025)
Paramount Pictures
$22,000,000
$31,000,000
$27,000,000
$70,000,000
$125,000,000
$112,000,000
11/21/2025
Rental Family
Disney
$2,000,000
$5,000,000
$2,500,000
$6,000,000
$20,000,000
$8,000,000
11/21/2025
SISU: ROAD TO REVENGE
Sony Pictures
$3,000,000
$6,000,000
$4,000,000
$6,000,000
$13,000,000
$8,000,000
11/21/2025
Wicked: For Good
Universal Pictures
$155,000,000
$190,000,000
$165,000,000
$449,000,000
$519,000,000
$481,000,000
11/26/2025
Eternity
A24
$3,500,000
$21,000,000
11/26/2025
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
Netflix
$10,000,000
$15,500,000
11/26/2025
Zootopia 2
Disney
$115,000,000
$394,000,000
Keep in mind, all these projections and ranges are based on current trends and expectations before releases. They're not set in stone and could change with shifts in the market or other factors we consider in our analysis.
What do you think—will Zootopia 2 dethrone Moana 2's record, or is Wicked set to dominate with its musical magic? Do you believe animated films truly own the holidays, or should live-action stories get more spotlight? Share your thoughts in the comments; I'd love to hear if you agree, disagree, or have a wild prediction of your own!