A blockbuster showdown is brewing as Christmas approaches, with Sonic the Hedgehog 3
and Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King
set to go glove to paw this weekend. While Disney’s prequel/sequel to their live-action remake of The Lion King has been taking a pounding from critics, Sonic’s return has yet to receive its Rotten Tomatoes score – however, the safe bet would be to expect the blue blur to post a better result than the 58% Mufasa currently holds on the site’s Tomatometer. However, in terms of box office superiority, it seems that there is not going to be a clear winner.
The original animated version of The Lion King is still one of Disney’s most-loved and most successful features ever, and even though the live-action version failed to impress in the same way, it reaped the rewards at the box office in 2019, taking $1.66 million worldwide. Unsurprisingly, this means that there is a lot of buzz around this new movie, which tells the story of Mufasa in the years before he became the mighty king that everyone knows.
Sonic the Hedgehog rolled out into theaters in 2020, as one of the last major releases before the Covid pandemic shut down cinemas. Having suffered months of delays thanks to the original design of the film’s titular speedster being torn apart online, everyone expected a disaster for Sonic’s big screen outing. However, that could not have been further from reality. Sonic the Hedgehog set a new record with the biggest domestic opening of a video game adaptation, and grossed over $320 million worldwide. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 followed in 2022, and became an even bigger hit with a $405 million gross.
Who Will Win the Weekend Out of Sonic and Mufasa?
Although there have been some fiercely contested box office battles in the last couple of years, it seems that this time there is no clear frontrunner. According to Variety, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 has the edge domestically, expecting to take $55-60 million compared to the slightly lower projection of $50 million for Mufasa. However, overseas, the Disney movie has the clear advantage of releasing first on December 20, while Sonic fans will have to wait until December 25 to see that movie.
Related
Mufasa: The Lion King Review | Astonishing CGI Can’t Save a Dull & Predictable Prequel
Rafiki (John Kani) regales Simba’s (Donald Glover) cub (Blue Ivy Carter) with the story of how her grandfather Mufasa (Aaron Pierre) became king.
This means that while Sonic could end up running away with the prize in the U.S. and Canada, Mufasa will be roaring at the global box office this weekend. As two of the most highly anticipated movies of the year, it is not hard to see both films being incredibly successful in their own right over the coming weeks. Who ends up being the king of the box office is something that really is too close to call right now. With a strong Rotten Tomatoes debut, though, Sega’s iconic mascot could very easily snatch victory from the jaws of his feline challenger.
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Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is the sequel to the 2022 comedy-adventure movie that featured the Blue Blur and his companions on an adventure to stop Dr. Robotnik from taking over the world. The new film sees the new antagonist Shadow the Hedgehog, arriving to cause trouble for the newly formed trio of heroes, Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles, as they adjust to their earthly lives.
- Release Date
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December 20, 2024
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Mufasa: The Lion King is a prequel to the live-action remake of the original Disney animated film, The Lion King. The film will follow Mufasa in his early days; further plot details are currently under wraps. The film will likely explore Mufasa and Scar’s relationship and how it became as strained as it did. In the film, Timon and Pumba will return, with Billy Eicher and Seth Rogen reprising their roles.
- Release Date
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December 20, 2024
