Ralph tops US Thanksgiving box office

LOS ANGELES — Disney’s Ralph Breaks the Internet dominated the Thanksgiving box office, generating a massive $84.6 million at 4,017 locations over the five-day holiday period and $56 million for the weekend.
Propelled by solid word of mouth, the Disney animated sequel now ranks as the second-best Thanksgiving debut ever, behind another Disney title, Frozen, which earned $93.6 million during its first five days. Ralph Breaks the Internet carries a hefty $175 million production budget, so it will need to keep up momentum worldwide to turn a profit. Ralph Breaks the Internet sees John C. Reilly and Sarah Silverman reprise their roles from Wreck It Ralph as the video game villain and his best friend navigate the Internet. The original film picked up $49 million over its first three days of release.
“Whenever we look at sequels, they have to be additive,” Cathleen Taff, Disney’s president of global distribution, said of Ralph Breaks the Internet’s impressive opening. “The filmmakers built this world out with such attention to detail that people were ready to come back and enjoy these characters. We’re really excited about the momentum as we head into the holidays.”
Ralph wasn’t the only sequel to thrive this weekend. MGM and New Line’s Creed II was a knockout as the boxing drama earned $55 million from 3,350 venues over the five days and $34 million for the weekend. That marks the best debut for a live-action film during the holiday frame. Those numbers also top the start of Creed, which launched with $29 million over the three-day frame. Creed II stars Michael B. Jordan as Donnie Creed, the son of heavyweight champ Apollo Creed. Sylvester Stallone returns as Rocky Balboa.
“It’s a thrill to see both its legacy and new generation of audiences continue to respond to Rocky Balboa and Adonis Creed in this time when we need uplifting stories,” said Jonathan Glickman, president of MGM’s motion picture group.
The crowded Turkey Day didn’t just bring back solid receipts, it set a new record, according to Comscore. This five-day outing surpassed $314 million, exceeding the record set in 2013 with $294 million.
Unfortunately, it’s not all holiday cheer at the box office. Lionsgate’s Robin Hood pocketed an tepid $14.2 million at 2,715 venues for the five-day period and $9 million for the weekend, a potentially disastrous result given the live-action adventure’s roughly $100 million production budget. Taron Egerton and Jamie Foxx lead Robin Hood in the latest rendition of the swashbuckling bandit.
As new releases swarmed multiplexes, a number of holdovers still managed to draw crowds. Warner Bros.’ Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald picked up $43.3 million for the five-day outing and $29.2 million its sophomore frame. That brings its domestic tally to $116.5 million.
���Ծ������������’s The Grinch is still doing formidable business in its third week of release, and the family-friendly film will duke it out with the Fantastic Beasts sequel for third and fourth place once final numbers come in Monday. The animated adaptation of the Dr. Seuss holiday classic stole another $42 million for a Stateside haul of $180 million.
Rounding out the top five is Fox’s Bohemian Rhapsody. The Queen biopic drummed up another $19 million during the five-day holiday, bringing its North American total to $151 million. — Reuters