'Sonic 3' bests 'Mufasa: The Lion King' at the box office

NEW YORK (AP) — In the holiday season battle of big-budget family movies, Paramount Pictures’ “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” sped past the Walt Disney Co.’s “Mufasa: The Lion King” to take the top spot at the box office ahead of the lucrative Christmas corridor in theaters.

“Sonic the Hedgehog 3” debuted with $62 million in ticket sales over the weekend, according to studio estimates. With strong reviews (86% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes) and a high score from audiences (an “A” on CinemaScore), “Sonic 3” is well positioned to be the top choice in cinemas during the busiest moviegoing period of the year.

It was telling of some wider trends that “Sonic 3” — made for $122 million — bested one of Disney’s top properties. Videogame adaptations, once among the most derided movie genres, have emerged as one of the most dependable box office forces in recent years. The two previous “Sonic” movies together grossed more $700 million worldwide and the third installment appears likely to do better than both of them. A fourth “Sonic” movie is already in development.

“Mufasa,” however, was humbled in its opening weekend, with its $35 million in domestic ticket sales coming in notably shy of expectations . The photorealistic “Lion King” prequel even opened wider than “Sonic 3,” launching on 4,100 theaters and gobbling up most IMAX screens, compared with 3,761 locations for “Sonic 3.”

Though “Mufasa's” reviews were poor (56% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes), audiences gave it an “A-” CinemaScore.

“Sonic 3” nearly doubled the haul for “Mufasa,” which cost more than $200 million to make. Disney could look to $87.2 million in international sales to help make up the difference. The third “Sonic” will rollout in most overseas markets in the coming weeks.

In director Jeff Fowler’s “Sonic 3,” Ben Schwartz returns as the voice of the hedgehog, alongside Tails the Fox (Colleen O’Shaughnessey), Knuckles the Echidna (Idris Elba) and Jim Carrey in scene-stealing dual roles as Dr. Robotnik and his grandfather.

“Moonlight” filmmaker Barry Jenkins directs “Mufasa’s” voice cast, including Aaron Pierre, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Donald Glover, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, Mads Mikkelsen and Blue Ivy Carter. It follows Jon Favreau’s 2019 photorealistic “The Lion King” remake, which made $1.66 billion globally despite mixed reviews. “Mufasa” didn’t come close to that film’s huge $191 million opening weekend.

“We felt strongly that the marketplace could support both movies and we’re certainly holding up our side of the bargain,” said Chris Aronson, distribution chief for Paramount.

No major franchise movie is coming this Christmas. The most anticipated Dec. 25 release might be “A Complete Unknown,” with Timothee Chalamet as Bob Dylan. That means “Sonic 3" could be looking at several weeks in a row at No. 1.

“The family audience was 59% on ‘Sonic 2.' This time it's 46%. That 13% drop reflects the time of year we’re dealing with," said Aronson. "I think once the marketplace really cooks, ‘Sonic’ is going to be the dominant force."

Many of Disney’s live-action adaptations – including “Aladdin,” “Beauty and the Beast” and “Jungle Book” – have been big hits. Others, such as “Dumbo,” “Mulan” and “The Little Mermaid,” have been less well received. More are on the way, including a new “Snow White” in March, “Lilo & Stitch” in May, and plans for “Moana” and “Tangled” to get the same live-action treatment.

Despite “Mufasa's” muted opening, Disney is still celebrating its strongest annual performance in years. The studio has accounted for more than $5 billion in ticket sales worldwide, including the year’s top two hits: “Inside Out 2” and “Deadpool and Wolverine.” The animated “Moana 2” could give Disney the top three movies of the year. In four weeks of release, it has collected $790.2 million globally, including $13.1 million in U.S. and Canadian theaters over this weekend.

Though Christmas often sees some of the biggest releases of the year, movies released around Thanksgiving really drove the box office this season. That includes “Moana 2” and Universal Pictures’ “Wicked,” which managed third place in its fifth weekend.

“Wicked,” the hit musical adaption starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, added $13.5 million in North American theaters to push its domestic total to $383.9 million.

Those films, among others, have led a Hollywood rebound in 2024. After a significant deficit earlier in the year, overall sales are drawing close to those of 2023. According to Comscore, the gap has narrowed to 4.4% behind last year's results. While that’s still significantly less than pre-pandemic years, it’s enough to flip the script on what once looked like a rough year for the movies.

Family films like “Inside Out 2,” “Moana 2” and “Sonic 3” have played a major role. Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for Comscore, noted animated movies have accounted for 26.5% of this year's box office.

“The box office year was saved by the family audience being drawn to the multiplex,” said Dergarabedian.

“Homestead,” the latest release from Christian-themed Angel Studios, the distributor of “Sound of Freedom,” opened with $6.1 million. It follows a group of Doomsday preparers who take shelter in a self-sufficient compound after a nuclear attack in California.

Brady Corbet's “The Brutalist,” one of the year's top Oscar contenders, launched on four screens in New York and Los Angeles. Its $66,698 per-screen average was one of the highest of 2024. The post-World War II epic runs three-and-a-half hours, posing obvious theatrical challenges. A24 is trying to turn the film starring Adrien Brody and Guy Pearce into an arthouse event. It was nominated for seven Golden Globes.

Final domestic box office figures will be released Monday. Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore:

1. “Sonic the Hedgehog 3,” $62 million.

2. “Mufasa: The Lion King,” $35 million.

3. “Wicked,” $13.5 million.

4. “Moana 2,” $13.1 million.

5. “Homestead,” $6.1 million.

6. “Gladiator II,” $4.5 million.

7. “Kraven the Hunter,” $3.1 million.

8. “Red One,” $1.4 million.

9. “Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim,” $1.3 million.

10. “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever,” $825,000.

This image released by A24 shows Adrien Brody, center, in a scene from "The Brutalist." (Lol Crawley/A24 via AP)

Tina Knowles, from left, Jay-Z, Beyonce, and Blue Ivy Carter arrive at the premiere of "Mufasa: The Lion King" on Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

From left to right Kelvin Harrison Jr., Tiffany Boone, Aaron Pierre, Anika Noni Rose, Billy Eichner, Seth Rogan and Barry Jenkins attend a photo call for Mufasa: The Lion King at Potters Field, in London, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024. (Ian West/PA via AP)

Keanu Reeves, from left, Jim Carrey, and Ben Shwartz arrive at the premiere of "Sonic The Hedgehog 3" on Monday, Dec. 16, 2024, at TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

This image released by Disney shows characters Afia, voiced by Anika Noni Rose, left, Mufasa, voiced by Braelyn Rankins, center, and Masego, voiced by Keith David, in a scene from "Mufasa: The Lion King." (Disney via AP)

This image released by Paramount Pictures and Sega of America shows the character Sonic, voiced by Ben Schwartz, in a scene from "Sonic the Hedgehog 3." (Paramount Pictures and Sega of America, Inc. via AP)

CHICAGO (AP) — From worker rights rallies to marches for social justice, activists around the globe will kick off May Day demonstrations on Thursday.

In some countries, it’s a public holiday honoring labor, but activists planning marches in the United States say much of their message is about fighting back against President Donald Trump’s policies targeting immigrants, federal workers and diversity programs.

Thousands are expected at demonstrations from Tokyo to Chicago. In some parts of the U.S., though, fear sowed by the Trump administration is expected to keep some immigrants home.

“Everybody is under attack right now,” said Jorge Mujica, a longtime labor leader from Chicago, where May Day rallies historically have had a large turnout.

The roots of May Day, or International Workers Day, stretch back over a century to a turbulent and pivotal time in U.S. labor history.

In the 1880s, unions pushing for better workplace conditions began advocating for an eight-hour workday with widespread demonstrations and strikes. In May 1886, a Chicago labor rally turned deadly when a bomb was thrown and police retaliated with gunfire. Several labor activists, most of them immigrants, were convicted of conspiracy to incite violence among other charges. Four were hanged.

Unions later recommended that the workers be honored every May 1. A sculpture in Chicago's Haymarket Square commemorates them with an inscription that reads: “Dedicated to all workers of the world.”

May Day marches, rallies and riots have taken place worldwide in recent years as unions push for better rights for workers, groups air economic grievances or activists call for an end to the war in Gaza.

While most demonstrations have been peaceful, there have been clashes with police.

Last year, police in Paris fired tear gas as thousands of protesters marched through the French capital, seeking better pay and working conditions. In New York City, May Day demonstrations coincided with rising tensions at college campuses over pro-Palestinian student encampments, resulting in numerous arrests.

This year, organizers in numerous cities, including New York, are calling for unity across many causes and groups.

“We’re organizing for a world where every family has housing, health care, fair wages, union protection, and safety — regardless of race, immigration status, or zip code,” the American Civil Liberty Union of New York said in a statement.

Other notable U.S. demonstrations include a workers rally at Philadelphia City Hall with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and demonstrations at the Colorado State Capitol and in Los Angeles, Seattle and Washington, D.C.

While labor and immigrant rights are historically intertwined, the focus of May Day rallies in the U.S. shifted to immigration in 2006. That’s when roughly 1 million people, including nearly half a million in Chicago alone, took to the streets to protest federal legislation that would’ve made living in the U.S. without legal permission a felony.

Crowds for May 1 demonstrations have since dwindled with advocacy groups splintering and shifting activism arenas such as voters rights.

This year in Chicago, organizers say activism starting Thursday will last until Cinco de Mayo with boycotts and walkouts. Their focus is workers' rights but also rising anti-immigrant rhetoric from Trump's administration.

Organizers acknowledge a chilling effect on immigrant communities since Trump has cracked down on enforcement, especially in so-called sanctuary cities including Chicago. They’re expecting lower numbers of immigrants but are expanding their outreach to more unions, including for teachers and nurses.

“There’s a lot fear out there,” said Omar Lopez, a longtime Chicago organizer.

In some countries, May Day is a public holiday for workers, including France, Kenya, Russia and China, where it lasts five days.

It’s also a traditional spring celebration that’s observed in ways that don’t involve marching in the streets or civil disobedience.

In Hawaii, May 1 is called Lei Day, which isn’t an official holiday, but a statewide celebration of the Hawaiian culture and the aloha spirit through the creation and giving of lei — usually a necklace of flowers.

Elsewhere, people mark the holiday by leaving May Day baskets filled with gifts and flowers on the doorsteps of friends. The city of Annapolis, Maryland, is set to hold its 70th May Day Basket Competition, where residents and businesses outdo each other for the best floral arrangements.

“It’s our community’s way of saying goodbye to winter and welcoming the beauty and energy of spring,” Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley said.

FILE - Supporters of French far-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon are gathered on Republique square to listen their leader during a protest over the president's labor reform, in Paris, France, Saturday, Sept. 23, 2017. (AP Photo/Francois Mori, File)

FILE - Protesters march during the May Day demonstration, Wednesday, May 1, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Thomas Padilla, File)

FILE - More than 300,000 demonstrators march to show support for immigrant rights in Chicago, May 1, 2006. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)

FILE - Participants in an immigration rights rally walk under a giant American flag during a march through downtown Chicago, May 1, 2006. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green, File)