Mufasa: The Lion King is continuing to roar its way to success. The latest Lion King movie has thrived in a slow January, competing against a small field consisting of Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Nosferatu, Den of Thieves 2: Pantera, and several other new releases. Wolf Man and One of Them Days were poised to top the box office over the holiday weekend. Even with Martin Luther King Day offering a chance for a booming box office, it has been a slow week. Still, despite only a trickle at the box office, Disney’s lions are thriving.

According to a report by Variety, the Lion King prequel is expected to end the weekend with $209.8 million domestically and $588.4 million worldwide. With that total, it has officially become the 10th 2024 movie to reach the $200 million milestone domestically. It sits ahead of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, which earned $196 million, and just behind Sonic 3‘s $218 million total.

What Does Mufasa’s Milestone Mean For The Box Office?

2024 Was A Recovery For The Box Office

Having 10 movies earn $200 million domestically at the box office is a serious sign of recovery. That milestone has not been achieved by 10 movies since 2019. While Hollywood has been slow to recover from the pandemic, this accomplishment marks a return to the theatrical explosion of the 2010s. Still, there is more room to grow. While 2018 had 14 movies earn over $200 million, per Box Office Mojo, 2024 just barely managed to achieve 10. Theaters are still dominated by a few choice successes, while everything else is falling further behind. Check out this year’s top 10:

The top-heavy nature of the box office in recent years could be changing, as more movies are achieving these mᴀssive milestones. While these calculations do fail to account for inflation, it is still a sign that Hollywood could be preparing for a return to normal. The adjustment has been slow, partly driven by the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes, but the reliance on recognized properties has contributed to the recovery. Of these top 10 domestic movies, not a single one is an original project. Every movie is a sequel or prequel to a beloved franchise.

Our Take On Mufasa’s Box Office Milestone

This Will Likely Encourage Hollywood To Continue Its Trajectory

This is a mᴀssive accomplishment for Mufasa: The Lion King and for Disney. Disney’s live-action remakes have been strong successes overall, and it will likely encourage the company to continue developing these pH๏τo-realistic movies. Even outside the live-action movies, Moana 2 and Inside Out 2 each earned $1 billion or more this past year. 2024 was an excellent year for Disney, and it should be enough to convince Hollywood that these are the types of movies that audiences are interested in. As theaters continue to recover, these $200 million movies will be crucial lessons in audience expectations and interest.

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Source: Variety & Box Office Mojo