Sonic the Hedgehog 3takes the lead in the box office race againstMufasa.
Experts hadpredictedParamount’sSonicwould earn about $60 million on opening weekend, where Disney’sLion Kingprequel would land closer to $50.
With Thursday’s opening preview numbers in, the Blue Blur is off to a strong start, raking in $6.5 million, whileMufasatotalled $3.3M.
It’s a nice bounce back for theaters afterKravenopened to a paltry $2 million in previews and only $11 million for the weekend. Having two films that will quintuple that is good for the industry as a whole.
10 Best Sonic Games Of All Time, Ranked
No matter which era of Sonic you adore, these are the best titles from all across the Hedgehog’s long life.
Sonic 3’s Preview Is Franchise Best
Forecasts haveSonic the Hedgehog 3coming in belowSonic 2’s $72.1M weekend total. But Thursday’s $6.5M actually bested the previous installment’s $6.25M.
The $250K is a slim margin of victory, but it does show the continued interest in the franchise. Paramount feels confident enough that it has already announcedSonic the Hedgehog 4for a spring 2027 release.
What’s Next For Sonic?
What direction the fourth film goes is anyone’s guess. The series started as simple as possible by focusing on Sonic vs. Robotnik. The second expanded to include Sonic’s primary allies, Tails and Knuckles, as well as the lore around Super Sonic.Sonic 3has continued world building by bringing in popular fan favorite characters who are less known in the mainstream (like Shadow and Amy Rose).
If Paramount views this as the end of a trilogy, thenSonic 4could look to refresh the setting, antagonist, cast, etc. Maybe Earth is no longer a focus and Sonic ends up traveling between worlds, mimicking the flow of the classic Genesis games as he travels through multiple levels. The success ofSonic Horizonscould also serve as inspiration for a movie trilogy, leaning into the cosmic lore of the Ancients and the Starfall Islands.
Is There A Silver Lining ForMufasa?
I’m going to say a number that may shock you. The 2019 live-action remake ofThe Lion Kingdid $23 million in Thursday previews. Twenty-three million! Its opening weekend of $191M is good for10th all-timein the United States.
So forMufasato be down at $3.3 million, an 86% difference, it’s hard to find a silver living. If you may think of one, please leave it in the comments.
What’s Next ForThe Lion Kingfranchise?
Mufasaisn’t just a prequel. It uses a frame narrative where Rafiki tells Kiara (the daughter of Simba and Nala) the story of her grandfather. I imagine Disney viewsMufasaas a way to introduce Kiara and expand the lore of the franchise to really dive into some sequel material.
The original animatedLion King, from 1994, did have an inauspicious direct-to-video sequel in 1998:The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride. It’s one of those annoying sequels that rehashes a lot of the plot beats from the original. But that story focused on Kiara as a cub. It’s possible that Disney’s gearing up for a live-action version.
Lion Kingis such a powerful franchise that I could see Disney wanting to power through the box office of a prequel to test the earnings of an actual sequel.
