Exhibitors will finally see relief from the challenges faced in October when the holiday box office season begins. Anchored by the November 21 release of Wicked: For Good, November’s titles are gearing up to do some heavy lifting for the 2025 box office. Last year, Thanksgiving Weekend set numerous holiday and all-time domestic records for admissions, premium formats, food & beverage, and total revenue with Wicked ($473.2M domestic and $756.5 global) and Moana 2 ($460.4M domestic/$1 billion global) leading a record-breaking 5-day run. This year Universal and Disney are aiming to repeat that success with Wicked: For Good and Zootopia 2 ready to top the box office charts. Opening a week earlier than last year’s action counter-programmer Gladiator II ($172.4M domestic/$462.1M global), Paramount also returns with The Running Man.
Predator: Badlands | Disney / 20th Century Studios
November 7
Reimagining the franchise from the Predator’s perspective, Predator: Badlands marks the latest evolution of the Predator franchise. Directed by Dan Trachtenberg, who previously helmed Prey and co-directed the animated anthology Predator: Killer of Killers, it expands the mythology by taking the story to the perilous alien world of Genna. Elle Fanning stars in dual roles as Weyland-Yutani Corporation synthetics Thia and Tessa (a subtle crossover with the Alien franchise), alongside Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi as Dek, a young outcast Yautja (aka Predator). After Prey revitalized the series (albeit via Hulu), Badlands represents the studio’s confidence in the property, following the success of other sci-fi revivals like Alien: Romulus ($105.3M domestic/$350.8M global). Delving into the Yautja culture of honor, survival, and family, Dek challenges monstrous adversaries and his own lineage.
The Running Man | Paramount
November 14
Edgar Wright’s take on Stephen King’s dystopian action thriller (a 1982 novella written under the pseudonym Richard Bachman) stars Glen Powell in his first solo leading action role. Ben Richards (Powell) is a desperate father who enters a deadly reality TV show where contestants must evade professional assassins for a month in order to win a billion-dollar prize. Co-starring Josh Brolin, Colman Domingo, Lee Pace, and Emilia Jones, The Running Man showcases Wright’s blend of kinetic, satirical style. Following breakout turns in Anyone But You (2023) and Twisters (2024), Powell’s rise as a leading man faces its biggest test to date.
Now You See Me, Now You Don’t | Lionsgate
November 14
Now You See Me: Now You Don’t brings a third entry to Lionsgate’s hit magician-heist franchise, which launched in 2013 with Now You See Me ($117.7M domestic/$351.7M global) and followed up three years later with the sequel Now You See Me 2 ($65M domestic/$334.8M global). Directed by Ruben Fleischer (Venom $213.5M domestic/$856M global, Uncharted $148.6M domestic/$407.1M global), the film brings back series’ stars (and Fleischer’s frequent collaborators) Jesse Eisenberg and Woody Harrelson, along with Dave Franco, Isla Fisher, and Morgan Freeman, who appear with new cast members Justice Smith, Dominic Sessa, Ariana Greenblatt, and Rosamund Pike. Lionsgate partnered with Proto Hologram to bring activations to theaters that will allow audiences to take selfies with holographic versions of the film’s stars.
Wicked: For Good | Universal
November 21
Wicked: For Good continues the record-breaking Broadway-inspired saga that began last year to the tune of $473.2M domestic and $756.5 global. Adapting the second act of the iconic stage musical, the sequel reunites Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande as Elphaba and Glinda, now embracing their fates as the ‘Wicked Witch of the West’ and ‘Glinda the Good’. Returning cast members Jonathan Bailey, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, and Ethan Slater are joined by Colman Domingo as the voice of the Cowardly Lion. With the first film’s $112.5M opening and strong PVOD performance, Wicked: For Good is projected to soar to even higher theatrical heights. Fandango confirmed the film as their 2025 best first-day ticket pre-seller and the highest ever pre-seller for a PG-rated release. Director Jon M. Chu and composer Stephen Schwartz promise a more mature, emotionally resonant story, featuring two new songs—“No Place Like Home” and “The Girl in the Bubble.”
Zootopia 2 | Disney
November 26
Disney’s return to their metropolis of mammals in Zootopia 2 follows the day-before-Thanksgiving release pattern that led to last year’s record-breaking success with Moana 2 ($460.4M domestic/$1 billion global). Directed by Jared Bush and Byron Howard, the animated sequel follows rabbit cop Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) and fox partner Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) as they go undercover to investigate mysterious newcomer Gary De’Snake, a reptilian resident voiced by Ke Huy Quan. The first Zootopia grossed $341.2M domestic and over $1 billion globally back in 2016. Much like Moana, the IP has benefitted from years of steaming, and regained prominence in 2022 with the Disney+ series Zootopia+. With Disney Animation’s strong track record—seven of its last nine animated sequels out-earned their predecessors—Zootopia 2 is expected to continue the studio’s strong Thanksgiving trend.
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