"Sonic the Hedgehog 3" Overshadows Disney at the Box Office
"Sonic the Hedgehog 3" has raced to the top of the US box office. The third film featuring the lightning-fast video game hedgehog grossed $62 million in its opening weekend. This left room for only second place for a highly anticipated competitor. "Mufasa: The Lion King" managed to bring in just $35 million—a slight disappointment for the usually triumphant Disney studios.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, industry experts had already predicted that the third "Sonic" film would outshine the "Lion King" prequel. However, the margin of this victory was surprising. Observers had estimated an opening weekend of $50 million for "Mufasa," while "Sonic" exceeded its expectations of $60 million by a narrow margin.
The strong debut of "Sonic the Hedgehog 3" isn’t entirely unexpected. The film received significantly better reviews than its two predecessors. On Rotten Tomatoes, 86% of reviews were positive, compared to 64% and 68% for the first two films.
"Sonic 3": Best December Opening in Over 20 Years
While "Sonic 2" opened stronger in 2022 with $72 million, it debuted in March, a less competitive period. The week before Christmas is traditionally challenging for films, with numbers typically climbing during the holidays. Disney is reportedly counting on this holiday boost for Mufasa: The Lion King, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
"Sonic the Hedgehog 3" achieved the best December opening for a PG-rated film in nearly 20 years. In the U.S., this rating advises parental guidance due to potential violence and strong language. In Germany, the film is rated suitable for ages 12 and up. The last PG-rated film to have a stronger December debut was The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe in winter 2005.
In Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Sega's hedgehog faces off against his evil doppelgänger, Shadow. In the original version, Shadow is voiced by Keanu Reeves (60).