It’s family all the way, judging by this Thanksgiving Box Office Weekend’s takings. Racking up $142M in total Box Office ticket sales, we see Encanto lead a family-friendly pack which, while not as robust as some pre-COVID years, is nothing to sneer at, either. Brandon Blake of Blake & Wang P.A dives deeper into the results. \
Recovery underway, if not here
Until the pandemic upset, it was common for a Thanksgiving Weekend to drive a box office of around $250M. However, while falling short of that mark, this weekend’s North American takings do indicate a strong recovery underway.
Among the films driving sales, we see Oscar-potential House of Gucci, but most interests fell to more family-friendly fare like Encanto and Ghostbusters: Afterlife.
Does this mean the vital ‘family’ demographic are finally returning to the theater? Disney’s Encanto, taking an estimated $40.3M, may not yet be challenging blockbusters like Frozen II’s $130M, but it’s still a massive improvement for the family market. Animated films, especially, have been underperformers post-pandemic, with worried families keeping younger members at home.
Older viewers also returning
On the flip side, we have House of Gucci netting $21.2M domestically over the weekend. Again, this film’s primary demographic-older viewers- is one that has been slow to recover and its absence has been keenly felt.
Between the two films, this positive response suggests we can finally declare a full recovery on the cards for the exhibition industry, with demographics other than childless young adults happy to return to the big screen environment. Coming as it does right before the critical holiday season period, this is encouraging indeed. Thanksgiving has traditionally been a barometer for the final weeks of the year. So far, so good, it seems. Our entertainment attorney team will keep you informed of further developments.
