Disney's “Ralph Breaks the Internet” dominated the Thanksgiving box office, generating a massive 84.6 million U.S. dollars at 4,017 locations over the five-day holiday period and 56 million U.S. dollars for the weekend.
Propelled by solid word of mouth, the Disney animated sequel now ranks as the second-best Thanksgiving debut in history, behind another Disney title, “Frozen,” which earned 93.6 million U.S. dollars during its first five days.
“Ralph Breaks the Internet” carries a hefty 175 million U.S. dollars 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 US dollars over its first three days of release.
Cast member Sarah Silverman attends the premiere of the animated film "Wreck-It Ralph" in Los Angeles, October 29, 2012. /Reuters Photo
“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 U.S. dollars from 3,350 venues over the five days and 34 million US dollars for the weekend.
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 U.S. dollars, exceeding the record set in 2013 with 294 million U.S. dollars.
Unfortunately, it's not all holiday cheer at the box office. Lionsgate's “Robin Hood” pocketed a tepid 14.2 million U.S. dollars at 2,715 venues for the five-day period and nine million U.S. dollars for the weekend, a potentially disastrous result given the live-action adventure's roughly 100 million U.S. dollars production budget. Taron Egerton and Jamie Foxx lead “Robin Hood” in the latest rendition of the swashbuckling bandit.