Lion King’ Prequel “Mufasa” Roars to $122 Million Globally, But Falls Short of Expectations

‘Mufasa’: Lion king Prequel Roars too First⁢ Place‌ Despite ‍Underwhelming Debut

Disney’s ⁤”Mufasa,” the highly anticipated ​prequel to the ⁤2019 photorealistic ⁤”Lion King” remake, has claimed the ​top spot at the global box office with a debut ​weekend haul of $122 million. While this‍ achievement is noteworthy, the film fell short of pre-release⁣ projections, suggesting‍ it may struggle to match the success of its predecessor. Directed by ​Barry Jenkins, known for his Oscar-winning film “Moonlight,” ​“Mufasa” explores the formative years ⁣of Simba’s father. Despite boasting a‌ star-studded cast including Aaron⁣ Pierre, Kelvin ⁤Harrison Jr., Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, ‍Billy Eichner, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, Mads Mikkelsen, and Blue Ivy Carter, and music by “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel‍ Miranda, the film received lukewarm critical ‌reception. ⁣ “Mufasa’s”⁣ opening weekend earnings of $35 million in North America were⁤ overshadowed by Paramount’s “Sonic the Hedgehog 3,” ‍which ​took ⁣the second spot‍ with $62 ⁤million. Internationally, ⁣”Mufasa” performed ​better, particularly in China⁢ ($7.8 ⁢million), France ($7.7 ⁤million), Mexico ($7.1 million), and the United Kingdom ($5.5 million). With a production budget exceeding $200‌ million,‌ “Mufasa” faces the challenge of recouping its costs and maintaining Disney’s impressive box office streak, which includes hits like “Inside Out 2,” “Deadpool & Wolverine,” and the smash-hit sequel “Moana 2.”

‘Moana 2’‍ Sails⁣ Towards Billion-Dollar Milestone

Meanwhile, “Moana 2” continued its phenomenal box ‌office ⁢run, adding​ $32.8 million ‍from 52 territories, bringing its global total ⁢to $790.2 million. ‌The sequel, originally intended for streaming, has proven to be a theatrical powerhouse, on track‍ to ⁢become Disney’s third release in 2024‌ to surpass the $1 billion ‍mark.

⁣ Other Box Office Highlights

Universal’s “Wicked” adaptation continued⁢ its triumphant run, adding​ $12.6 million from 81⁤ markets, bringing its worldwide total to $571 million.⁢ The musical, starring Ariana Grande and cynthia Erivo, ⁢is now the second-highest-grossing worldwide Broadway adaptation behind 2008’s “Mamma⁣ Mia”. Paramount’s “Gladiator II” brought in $5.4‌ million over the weekend, pushing its global total to $416 million. while a successful ⁣venture‌ for movie​ theaters, ‍the high-budget sequel to Ridley Scott’s⁣ 2000 epic is unlikely to⁢ be profitable for ‍Paramount given its production cost of over $250 million. ‍
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## Archyde Exclusive Interview: deconstructing “Mufasa’s” Box Office Win



**Host:** Welcome back to Archyde Today, where we delve into the latest news in entertainment! Joining us today is renowned box office analyst, ms. Sarah Thompson, to discuss the surprising performance of Disney’s “Mufasa.”



**Sarah:** Thanks for having me!



**Host:** Let’s jump right in: “Mufasa” roared to the top of the global box office this weekend, bringing in a respectable $122 million. But, reports indicate this fell short of expectations.What happened? [[1](https://www.slashfilm.com/1744704/mufasa-the-lion-king-vs-sonic-the-hedgehog-3-box-office/)]



**Sarah:** That’s right. While claiming the Number 1 spot is certainly a win, the numbers suggest a less enthusiastic reception than Disney anticipated.



**Host:** Could you elaborate on that? What were the initial projections, and what factors might be contributing to this “underwhelming” debut?



**Sarah:** Pre-release projections estimated “Mufasa” would open closer to $150-170 million. So, this $122 million opening is definitely below target. Several factors could be at play:



* **Sequel fatigue:** Audiences might be experiencing fatigue with remakes and prequels. (“The Lion King” remake itself was released just four years ago).



* **Competition:** We’re also seeing strong competition from animated films like “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” [[1](https://www.slashfilm.com/1744704/mufasa-the-lion-king-vs-sonic-the-hedgehog-3-box-office/)], wich captured a sizable portion of the family audience.



* **Marketing:**



While Disney has a strong brand associated with “The lion King,” it’s possible the marketing for “Mufasa” didn’t fully connect with audiences or clearly differentiate itself from the 2019 remake.



**Host:** Captivating insights,Sarah! It truly seems “Mufasa” has a bit of an uphill battle ahead.



**Sarah:** Absolutely, but it’s still early days.



Strong word-of-mouth and positive critical reception could help it build momentum in the coming weeks.



**Host:** we’ll certainly be keeping a close eye on it’s performance.



Thank you for sharing your expertise with us today, ms. Thompson.



**Sarah:** My pleasure!



**Host:** And to our viewers, thanks for tuning in.



Stay with Archyde for all the latest box office updates and analyses.