Box Office Recap: January 10-12, 2025
Den of Thieves 2 steals box office crown from Mufasa with $15 million debut.
It was fairly quiet at the box office over the second weekend of 2025, with the top ten combining to gross $69.65 million, a -29.5% drop from the opening weekend of the new year. Nevertheless, the action thriller heist sequel Den of Thieves 2: Pantera went on to top the box office charts with a $15 million debut, slightly outperforming its pre-release projections of $11-13 million. Elsewhere, the Indian actioner Game Changer enjoyed a $2 million debut from only 800 theaters, and on the milestone front, Disney’s Mufasa crossed the half billion mark.
Winning first place, Lionsgate’s Den of Thieves 2: Pantera grossed $15.50 million domestically over its debut weekend, opening in 3,008 theaters and averaging around $5,152 per location. While critical reception has been mixed, the Gerard Butler-led heist thriller did receive a solid “B+” CinemaScore from opening weekend moviegoers (the same score given to its predecessor), which could give it durable legs over the remainder of its theatrical run. As of now, no international earnings have been reported.
For comparison, 2018’s Den of Thieves also outperformed its pre-release projections of $7-10 million, nearly doubling them with a $15.3 million opening. It would go on to earn $80.51 million worldwide against a reported production budget of $30 million. While its international performance remains to be seen, with it receiving a similar opening and positive response from moviegoers, all signs appear to be pointing to another mildly successful outing for Den of Thieves 2, even with its slightly increased production budget of $40 million.
In the runner-up spot, Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King pulled in a fourth weekend haul of $13.20 million domestically, pushing its domestic total to $188.78 million. This marks a drop of -43.7% from its prior frame, earning a per-theater average of $3,646 at 3,620 locations. Overseas, the animated musical, which serves as both a prequel and sequel to 2019’s The Lion King remake, earned an additional $350.90 million for a grand worldwide total that has now passed the half billion mark with $539.68 million against a reported production budget of $200 million.
Finishing in third, Paramount’s Sonic the Hedgehog 3 grossed $11.0 million domestically over its fourth weekend in release for a domestic cume of $204.52 million. This marks a drop of -48.5% from its prior frame, earning a per-theater average of $3,070 at 3,582 locations. Internationally, the action-adventure comedy, which is based on the beloved Sega video game character, added $180.30 million to its global total, which currently stands at $384.82 million against a reported production budget of $122 million.
In fourth place, Focus Features’s Nosferatu brought in a third weekend tally of $6.80 million domestically, pushing its domestic total to $81.81 million. This marks a drop of -48.1% from its prior frame, earning a per-theater average of $2,206 at 3,082 locations. Overseas, the Robert Eggers’s horror remake earned an additional $53.99 million for a global total of $135.80 million against a reported production budget of $50 million.
Rounding out the top five, Disney’s Moana 2 continued to perform strong over its seventh weekend in release, earning $6.50 million domestically for a domestic cume of $434.86 million. This marks a drop of -47.8% from its prior frame, earning a per-theater average of $2,050 at 3,170 locations. Internationally, the animated musical sequel brought in an additional $554.90 million for a worldwide total that currently stands just shy of the billion dollar club with $989.76 million against a reported production budget of $150 million.
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, it’s highly likely Moana 2 will enter the billion dollar club this upcoming weekend. If and when it finally reaches that plateau, it’ll become the thirteenth animated feature film to do so, behind 2016’s Zooptopia ($1.026 billion) in twelfth place. Additionally, it only needs roughly $45 million more to enter the top ten worldwide grossing films of all-time, with tenth place currently being held by 2017’s Despicable Me 3 ($1.035 billion).
Just within the top ten, in ninth place, the Indian Telugu-language action flick Game Changer received a limited opening in 800 theaters, yet still managed to pull in $2.10 million domestically, which averages out to around $2,625 per location. Currently, the film’s international earnings have yet to be reported.
Opening this weekend, Sony will open their buddy comedy One of Them Days starring Keke Palmer and SZA; and Universal will debut writer/director Leigh Whannell’s Wolf Man, their reboot of the Universal Monsters classic starring Christopher Abbott and Julia Garner.
* Total estimated worldwide gross listed in parenthesis, new releases listed in bold.
1) Den of Thieves 2: Pantera – $15.50 million, Week 1 ($15.50 million)
2) Mufasa: The Lion King – $13.20 million, Week 4 ($539.68 million)
3) Sonic the Hedgehog 3 – $11.0 million, Week 4 ($384.82 million)
4) Nosferatu – $6.80 million, Week 3 ($135.80 million)
5) Moana 2 – $6.50 million, Week 7 ($989.76 million)
6) A Complete Unknown – $5.0 million, Week 3 ($50.85 million)
7) Wicked – $5.0 million, Week 8 ($697.62 million)
8) Babygirl – $3.10 million, Week 3 ($24.59 million)
9) Game Changer – $2.10 million, Week 1 ($2.10 million)
10) The Last Showgirl – $1.46 million, Week 5 ($1.53 million)
About Post Author
