In addition to a trio of holdovers from the Thanksgiving holiday (Moana 2, Wicked, Gladiator II), more tentpole titles await in December, along with a host of limited and platform releases from major distributors. For our thoughts on the award contenders of the year, be sure to listen to the Boxoffice Podcast’s December specialty preview.
Kraven the Hunter | Sony / Columbia
December 13
Domestic Opening Weekend Range: $20-$25M [as of 11/26]
“Once you’re on his list, there’s only one way off.” Kraven the Hunter marks the next installment in Sony’s growing Spider-Man adjacent universe. Sony’s previous antihero-focused films include 2018’s Venom ($213.5M domestic/$856M global), the 2021 sequel Venom: Let There Be Carnage ($213.5M domestic/$506.8M global), Morbius ($73.8M domestic/$167.4M global), Madame Web ($43.8M domestic/$100.4M global), and this October’s Venom: The Last Dance ($134.2M domestic/$456.8M as of November 27).
This December sees the long-delayed release of Kraven, starring Marvel alum Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who previously played Pietro Maximoff, brother of Wanda, in 2015’s Avengers: Age of Ultron. Directed by J.C. Chandor (Margin Call, All Is Lost, A Most Violent Year), Kraven the Hunter was initially slated for release in January 2023 and then moved multiple times before landing in its current spot sandwiched between tentpoles. It’s been a long road to the big screen for the latest entry in Sony’s series, in which Sergei Kravinoff’s (Taylor-Johnson) visceral backstory aims to show how Kraven the Hunter became one of Marvel’s most iconic villains.
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim | Warner Bros.
December 13
Domestic Opening Weekend Range: $7M-$15M [as of 11/26]
The Lord of the Rings franchise has, much like Star Wars, taken refuge on the small screen in recent years. It makes a somewhat unexpected return to theaters this December with the animated prequel Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, helmed by acclaimed anime director Kenji Kamiyama. Between 2001 and 2003, the Lord of the Rings franchise dominated the December box office, with The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King coming out back-to-back-to-back across three consecutive years; each film was either the first (Return of the King) or second (Fellowship and Two Towers) highest grossing film of their respective year. Nine years after Return of the King, Warner Bros. and director Peter Jackson brought the world of J.R.R. Tolkien back to theaters with an adaptation of The Lord of the Rings prequel The Hobbit, stretched out across three movies despite minimal source material.
Now the franchise returns with another prequel, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, set 183 years before Peter Jackson’s 2001-2003 trilogy. It tells the fate of the House of Helm Hammerhand, King of Rohan. A sudden attack forces Helm and his people to make a daring last stand in the ancient stronghold of the Hornburg—a mighty fortress that will later come to be known as Helm’s Deep.
Mufasa: The Lion King | Disney
December 20
Domestic Opening Weekend Range: $70-$100M [as of 11/26]
Disney is joining December’s prequel and origin tale trend with Mufasa: The Lion King, a “live-action” prequel to the 2019 remake of Disney’s 1994 animated classic. The 2019 film generated a massive $543.6M domestic/$1.6 billion global. The origin story of the beloved king of the Pride Lands, Mufasa: The Lion King enlists Rafiki as storyteller to share the legend of Mufasa to Timon, Pumbaa and young lion cub Kiara, daughter of Simba and Nala—a nod to Disney’s 1998 animated direct-to-video sequel to The Lion King. Told in flashbacks, the story introduces Mufasa and his journey to the throne. The film is directed by Barry Jenkins and features original songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Though Mufasa lands smack-dab in the middle of a crowded market, it and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 are the last wide-release kid’s movies until the mid-January release of Sony’s Paddington in Peru. An opening on the lower end of predictions could be counteracted by strong holds, as was the case with last year’s The Little Mermaid ($95.5M domestic opening, $298.1M domestic total). It’s looking like the same will be true for Wicked Part 1, which came out on November 22—like Mufasa, landing the week before a major holiday—and is looking at a potential nine-figure pull over the five-day Thanksgiving weekend.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 | Paramount
December 20
Domestic Opening Weekend Range: $50-$80M [as of 11/26]
The dependable Sonic franchise helped spark a new era for video game adaptations, a trend that will continue in 2025 with the release of A Minecraft Movie, Until Dawn, Mortal Kombat 2, and Five Nights at Freddy’s 2. Street Fighter and The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 are expected in 2026 and other adaptations like The Legend of Zelda are in the works. Director Jeff Fowler returns for the hedgehog’s third outing, alongside Ben Schwartz (the voice of Sonic), Lee Majdoub (Agent Stone), Idris Elba (the voice of Knuckles), Colleen O’Shaughnessey (the voice of Tails), Tom Butler (Commander Walters), James Marsden (Tom Wachowski), Tika Sumpter (Maddie Wachowski), and Jim Carrey as the evil Ivo Robotnik.
According to the synopsis, Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails reunite against a powerful new adversary, Shadow (Keanu Reeves), a mysterious villain with powers unlike anything they have faced before. Team Sonic must seek out an unlikely alliance in hopes of stopping Shadow and protecting the planet. The film franchise has made $870.8M global to date.
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