It seems like musicals are really making an impact. With Moana 2 and Wicked recently hitting theaters, movie screenings are selling out fast, and AMC Theatres can’t keep up with the demand. On social media, people are talking about the delays in the online queue on both the website and app. With the holiday traffic, customers are waiting over 10 minutes to get their tickets. The Disney musical was expected to break records on Thanksgiving, and it definitely did. Meanwhile, Wicked is also seeing its box office numbers rise, especially with all the buzz it’s getting from audiences on platforms like TikTok.
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AMC Theatres hasn’t said anything about the situation, but Global Box Office has weighed in, noting that the issue isn’t necessarily the demand but the lack of capacity. Wicked, for example, doesn’t have enough theaters showing it, which is causing some difficulty. In fact, it’s a bit of a surprise for the musical genre, and it makes sense that theaters weren’t really prepared for this level of interest ahead of time.
It doesn’t seem like people are complaining either; they’re just getting excited about all the big crowds. This kind of thing tends to happen now and then, like with Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour. The singer’s movie even set records last year, raking in $261.6 million globally in its first few days of release.
It’s worth noting that the controversy over all the singing in theaters is actually helping to create even more buzz and curiosity around both films. On Instagram and TikTok, there are already videos of users showing how their family and friends are being caught up in the Wicked sensation. Some songs from the film have even become trends, and Moana 2 isn’t far behind – it’s actually ahead – especially since it’s the sequel to one of Disney’s most successful movies. In its opening week, the film has already shattered Frozen 2‘s box office record, pulling in $28 million on Thanksgiving.
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According to Deadline, Moana 2 is leading the box office, outpacing all other films currently in theaters. While Disney is holding firm to its forecast of over $175 million in earnings over five days, some believe the film could surpass $200 million, given its rising success. Meanwhile, Wicked earned around $16.9 million on the holiday and is expected to reach $105.6 million over the five-day period.
This kind of achievement was usually reserved for Marvel Studios films, like Deadpool & Wolverine, for instance, as superhero movies have become the go-to blockbusters. So, it’s pretty surprising to see musicals leading the charge in getting people back into theaters. It seems that, somehow, the recent films being released have the unique ability to draw in audiences of all ages, proving that there’s still a lot of excitement for a wide range of genres.
But aside from the holiday, it seems that a lot has changed since the pandemic, with people now more willing and excited to go to the movies. The market, which once seemed to be in decline, is now showing strong signs of recovery. It’s a great time to take advantage of this and get in line for tickets as soon as you can!
