Box Office Update: 'Mufasa' Roars to Victory While 'Sonic' Hits Major Milestone!

Disney's highly anticipated prequel, "Mufasa," has finally claimed the top spot at the domestic box office over the weekend, marking a triumphant entry that contrasts its initial performances against "Sonic the Hedgehog 3." After finishing behind the blue speedster during its debut weekend, "Mufasa" surged ahead to capture audiences' hearts, raking in $24 million from 3,925 theaters in its third weekend.

This brings its total domestic gross to an impressive $168 million and a staggering $476 million globally—though it still has a way to go given its hefty production budget of over $200 million.

With its captivating story centered around the future leader of the Pride Lands, "Mufasa" remains a crowd-pleaser despite an unexpected rocky start. Theater owners keep approximately half of the box office revenues, which means the film needs to sustain its momentum throughout 2025 to break even and justify its massive investment.

Right behind "Mufasa," "Sonic the Hedgehog 3" held its ground, bringing in $21.2 million this weekend, although this reflects a significant 42% drop from the previous week. The third installment of the beloved franchise has already eclipsed its predecessors, generating a total of $187.5 million domestically and $336 million worldwide.

To add to the excitement, the "Sonic" franchise has crossed the $1 billion mark in total box office receipts globally, solidifying its status as a cultural phenomenon. Paramount Pictures President Brian Robbins hailed the franchise as an "unstoppable cultural force" and expressed enthusiasm for future projects, including a fourth film already in development.

As January often sees a slowdown in box office activity, the current landscape features several holdover films from the holiday season.

Notably, "Nosferatu," the much-anticipated remake from director Robert Eggers, remains a strong contender, earning $13.2 million in its second weekend, which brings its total domestic gross to $69.4 million so far.

Disney's animated sequel "Moana 2" continues to impress, landing the No. 4 spot with $12.3 million after six weekends. Its growing total now sits at $425 million in North America and is rapidly approaching the coveted $1 billion global mark.

Meanwhile, Universal's adaptation of "Wicked" rounds out the top five, gathering $10.2 million this weekend, accumulating a total of $450 million in the U.S. and Canada and $681 million worldwide.

Lastly, the biographical musical "A Complete Unknown," featuring Timothée Chalamet as Bob Dylan, maintains its position at No. 6 with $8.1 million, although its journey may have just begun, as it gears up for overseas release later this month and into February.

The box office landscape of 2025 is already shaping up to be thrilling with varied offerings, and audiences should stay tuned for more updates as these films continue to make their mark!