As a movie enthusiast who has lived through the golden era of cinema and its subsequent ups and downs, I can confidently say that the Thanksgiving box office records of 2018 and 2012 hold a special place in my heart. The variety of films that graced our screens during those years was nothing short of spectacular, offering something for everyone – from action-packed blockbusters to heartwarming animated tales.
During Thanksgiving weekend, once the meal is finished, the main football game ends, and silences start to fill the air, it’s often a good idea to head out with family and find another activity. One popular way to fill the time? Going to watch a movie. It’s not surprising that studios often release big new films over Thanksgiving weekend or just beforehand, as movies like Frozen, several Harry Potter installments, The Twilight Saga: New Moon, and many more have performed well during this period.
2024’s box office trend seems set to persist with the releases of “Wicked”, “Gladiator II”, and “Moana 2” towards the end of November. The collective power of these movies promises a Thanksgiving box office spectacle that will be hard to forget. However, it’s crucial not to overlook the biggest domestic Thanksgiving box office frame in history before this anticipated triple-threat. Every holiday season attracts many cinema-goers, but one particular three-day late November period raked in more money than any other in the history of the Thanksgiving box office.
The Biggest Thanksgiving Box Office Weekend Ever Is…
Over the November 23-25, 2018 weekend, the box office earnings of approximately $203.8 million broke all previous three-day Thanksgiving records. This impressive total wasn’t solely attributed to one film; instead, multiple movies contributed significantly. Leading the pack was “Ralph Breaks the Internet” with an astounding $56.2 million opening weekend. Additionally, “Creed II” also performed exceptionally well, earning $35.5 million. Interestingly, even with a new children’s animated movie in the market, “The Grinch” managed to earn just 21% of this frame, totaling another $30.39 million. Remarkably, this weekend saw three films grossing over $30 million each. The remaining spots in the top five were occupied by “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” and “Bohemian Rhapsody,” each earning over $14 million.
A single movie isn’t enough to sustain an entire film market; it takes a variety of profitable films to significantly boost the domestic box office to record financial levels. The Thanksgiving weekend of 2018 illustrated this point clearly, as several movies catering to diverse audiences attracted cinema-goers. Even adult dramas like ‘Green Book’ and the long-lasting hit ‘A Star is Born’ were part of this remarkable weekend. Had there been a major romantic comedy and a surprise horror success among the top ten, the November 2018 box office would have showcased almost every mainstream American film genre.
This past Thanksgiving weekend surpassed the record set by the previous busiest holiday weekend, which was the November 23-25, 2012 period when the final Twilight film dominated the box office. That weekend earned a staggering $200.4 million, boosted by strong performances from films like Breaking Dawn – Part 2, Lincoln, Life of Pi, and Skyfall (among others). The secret to box office success seems to be diversity, as the combination of U.S. presidents and sparkly vampires brought the three-day Thanksgiving weekend total to over $200 million for the first time ever. The third highest grossing Thanksgiving weekend was another packed one, the November 29-December 1, 2013 period when The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and Frozen reigned supreme over a domestic box office that took in $194.5 million.
The 2020s Thanksgiving Box Office Blues
Between 2016 and 2019, it was customary for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend to generate approximately $167-$203 million at the annual box office, owing to the high demand for blockbusters during that period and Disney’s successful run at the box office in the 2010s. This trend would have been difficult to surpass under any circumstances, but the 2020s were particularly challenging due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors affecting the movie theater market. As a result, the Thanksgiving holidays of the 2020s have fallen short compared to their previous counterparts. For example, in 2021, the film “Encanto” earned $92.7 million over the Thanksgiving three-day weekend.
Next year, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” continued its dominance for a third straight year in the marketplace, with a weekend earnings of $89.7 million. However, during Thanksgiving 2023, the total earnings only reached $109.2 million – a significant drop compared to what was earned during this period five years prior. This significant decrease isn’t unexpected given Disney Animation’s box office struggles in the 2020s, particularly affecting the Thanksgiving timeframe. In contrast, during the 2010s, Disney provided family-friendly hits like “Coco”, “Moana”, and “Frozen” that significantly boosted the Thanksgiving box office.
During the initial part of this current decade, the same studio released “Wish” and “Strange World,” neither of which managed to meet their projected box office success. On the other hand, films like “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” and “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” premiered before Thanksgiving, couldn’t compare to the massive earnings brought in by November blockbusters from the 2010s such as “Skyfall” and “The Grinch.” It seems that if the films don’t captivate audiences, neither will they. Regrettably, this problem has persisted for some time now without a proper solution from Hollywood. However, it appears that this issue might finally come to an end with the three upcoming movies set to release over Thanksgiving 2024.
Can Thanksgiving 2024 Set a New Record?
The focus has shifted towards Thanksgiving 2024, with many expecting it to be a groundbreaking weekend for the film industry, marking their first significant post-COVID-19 box office success since theaters closed in March 2020. The excitement around upcoming movies like “Wicked” and “Moana 2” is reaching unprecedented levels, leading some to wonder if box office records might be broken. Could Thanksgiving 2018 finally claim the title of the biggest three-day domestic box office weekend in history? At this point, it seems quite possible. Predictions indicate that “Moana 2” could have the highest five-day Thanksgiving opening ever, while “Wicked” is expected to have a strong opening weekend and likely won’t fade away after that. The addition of audiences catching up on “Gladiator II” during this holiday period could make Thanksgiving 2024 a diverse box office contender, much like the biggest Thanksgiving weekends in history.
Despite discarding the initial Thanksgivings of 2020, the American film industry yearns for a return to familiar patterns. The upcoming Thanksgiving releases by Walt Disney Animation Studios could signal such a shift. However, before we set new box office records, it’s worth examining the prosperous periods from 2018 and 2012. The cinematic diversity exhibited during those Thanksgiving weekends is crucial. This versatility serves as a reminder that going to the movies can provide a welcome respite from potential family awkwardness during Thanksgiving.
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2024-11-18 02:10