No Bunny Could Have Predicted This: 'Zootopia 2' Hops to Historic Heights | Weekend of November 28, 2025
Thanksgiving weekend is traditionally one of the strongest periods of the year for the box office and 2025 proved no exception. Zootopia 2 hopped straight into the record books as the second-biggest Thanksgiving opening ever and the highest global opening for an animated title in history.
On its opening weekend Zootopia 2 captured 55% of all admissions, driven by broad, four-quadrant appeal. Judy and Nick take on their first case as partners, solving a mystery involving reptilian newcomer Gary De’Snake. Roger Ebert calls the film “pure delight,” and “every bit as exciting and heartwarming and imaginative as the Oscar-winning original and maybe even funnier.”
Audiences skewed slightly female at 53%, with 38% under age 18—including an especially strong turnout from the 6–11 segment (18%).
As expected for a major family release, the 18–49 demo also showed up in force, representing more than half the audience, reaffirming Disney’s ability to draw multigenerational turnout during the holiday corridor.
The film offered up plenty of topical allusions (like an all-animal, Burning Man-inspired festival in the desert) which likely delighted grown-up viewers while sailing right over the kids’ heads.
A second sequel success story: Wicked: For Good Maintains Its Spell
While Zootopia 2 claimed the top spot, the momentum behind Wicked: For Good continues to be one of the standout stories of the season. After its massive debut last weekend — where it launched in over 4,100 theaters and commanded 83% of all admissions — the musical held remarkably strong through its sophomore weekend.
Glinda, Elphaba, and Fiyero sang and danced their way to a strong #2 finish with 33% of weekend admissions, and an audience that skewed slightly more male (up to 38% from 33% last weekend) and older (up to 11% 55+ from 8% last weekend).
Diverse New Arrivals Expand Weekend Options for Audiences
Eternity opened in a modest 1,300+ theaters, capturing 2% of admissions amid stiff competition and a packed late-year release slate. The Phoenix Film Festival called the A24 film starring Elizabeth Olsen, Miles Teller and Callum Turner “a lovely, gratifying rom-com" about dating after death.
Speaking of death... Wake Up Dead: A Knives Out Mystery, the third Agatha Christie-coded mystery starring Daniel Craig as master detective Benoit Blanc, opened in roughly 600 theaters. Why so few screens? Given its Netflix distribution and a streaming premiere set for December 12, theatrical play is expected to be short; think of it as more of a strategic, awards-qualifying run and buzz generator than a traditional box office play.
Hamnet, the fictionalized, dramatized story of Anne Hathaway (Agnes Hathaway in the film), William Shakespeare, and the impact of the tragic death of their 11-year-old son Hamnet on their relationship, which inspires Shakespeare's play Hamlet, launched in just 138 theaters.
With standout reviews and early awards chatter, platform expansion is almost guaranteed, and strong word of mouth could make it one of the quieter but notable specialty successes of the season. Hamnet didn't make the top 10 in admissions with its limited release, but its revenue did — likely because it is an adult-targeted feature in limited run that generated a higher average ticket price than some of the top titles this weekend.
Looking ahead, the final weeks of 2025 are packed with new titles jockeying for attention. This coming weekend Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 arrives with projections around $35M — a notable drop from the first film’s breakout, but understandable given a more competitive December marketplace.
Meanwhile, a wave of limited releases is also set to land as distributors make their final push to qualify for the 2025 awards cycle, which should diversify the slate with prestige offerings.
How The People Platform's audience measurements help drive insights
- How many tickets will be sold this coming weekend? Find out on our next Cinema Ranker and follow us on LinkedIn to stay up to date with the cinema industry.
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