Once again, the Wicked Witches have been dethroned at the box office, but this time by a sly fox and a sunny bunny. Zootopia 2 outpaced Wicked: For Good in a showdown that’s become all too familiar for the witches. But here’s where it gets controversial: Is this a sign of shifting audience preferences, or just a repeat of last year’s history? Let’s dive in.
By Joe Reid, a seasoned pop culture and film commentator since 2007, this recap of Week 10 in Vulture’s Movies Fantasy League (MFL) is packed with insights for both casual moviegoers and die-hard film buffs. If you’re ready to compete against over 19,400 cinephiles for pride and prizes, there’s still time to join. Visit the league hub for details or click below to submit your entry.
History has a way of repeating itself, and in the case of Wicked: For Good, it’s a tale of near misses. Last year, the first installment of the Wicked saga dominated the box office with a massive opening weekend, only to be overshadowed by Moana 2. This year, despite a strong $270 million cumulative after two weeks, Wicked: For Good faced a similar fate, losing the top spot to Zootopia 2. While $93 million is nothing to scoff at, it’s a noticeable drop from its predecessor’s $118 million second weekend. And this is the part most people miss: Both Moana 2 and Gladiator II performed significantly better last year than Zootopia 2 and the distant third-place finisher, Now You See Me, Now You Don’t, this time around. With critics less enthused about Wicked: For Good compared to the first film, it’ll be fascinating to see how much further it drops as awards season heats up.
Meanwhile, Zootopia 2 may not have matched Moana’s jaw-dropping $225 million opening, but its $156 million debut was more than enough to claim the holiday weekend’s top spot. That’s nearly double the original Zootopia’s 2016 opening, which went on to earn over $341 million domestically and win an Oscar for Best Animated Feature. With an A grade from Cinemascore and solid reviews, the 3,322 MFL players who picked it should be thrilled with their $25 investment.
If you skipped both Zootopia 2 and Wicked: For Good this weekend, chances are you stayed home. The drop-off to third place is steep, with Now You See Me, Now You Don’t adding just $10 million to reach $49 million after three weeks. While it’ll cross the $50 million bonus threshold next week, its $5 draft cost highlights the softness of this fall’s box office. Predator: Badlands stands out as a bright spot, becoming the highest-grossing Predator film ever with $85 million, but at $10 to draft, it’s less of a value pick than Regretting You ($48 million) or Black Phone 2 ($77 million).
The weekend also saw modest debuts for Eternity, an afterlife comedy starring Elizabeth Olsen, Miles Teller, and Callum Turner, which pulled in $5 million (a steal at $2 to draft); Hamnet, which crossed $1 million on just 119 screens; and Wake Up Dead Man, which earned $4 million on 600 screens. Notably, Rian Johnson’s third Benoit Blanc mystery is one of the rare Netflix films to report theatrical numbers, though its $4 million pales in comparison to Glass Onion’s $13 million Thanksgiving haul in 2022.
The Gotham Awards sprinkled points across several films, with Jay Kelly, Frankenstein, After the Hunt, Hedda, Song Sung Blue, and Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere each earning 15 points. One Battle After Another took Best Feature for 25 points, but Jafar Panahi’s It Was Just an Accident dominated with 55 points for Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best International Feature. Sinners also impressed, picking up 40 points for its ensemble tribute and Wunmi Mosaku’s Best Supporting Performance.
Unsurprisingly, One Battle After Another (150 points), It Was Just an Accident (95 points), and Sinners (75 points) lead the MFL in awards points this year. Check the full leaderboard on the MFL landing page or join our Discord server for more insights.
Looking ahead, mark your calendars for upcoming releases like Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 (December 5) and Ella McCay (December 12), as well as awards season milestones like the Film Independent Spirit Awards nominations (December 3) and Oscars shortlists (December 16).
Questions? Feedback? Can’t find your team? Reach out to us at moviesleague@vulture.com. And here’s a thought to leave you with: As Wicked: For Good continues to face box office challenges, is the franchise losing its magic, or is it simply a victim of tough competition? Let us know what you think in the comments!
