Disney's very good year continued apace across the typically busy Thanksgiving holiday weekend – which for movies usually stretches from the Wednesday before the actual celebration. Moana, the company's latest animated offering, got off to a strong start at the American box office, earning $55.5 million for the weekend and $81.1 million across the period from its release on Wednesday, according to studio estimates.
That figure means Moana enters the charts as Disney's second-highest opening in the Thanksgiving period, behind just Frozen, and seems likely to have the same longevity – adding in its overseas totals, the movie is sailing towards $100 million after just a few days. With the all-powerful 'toon sweeping into the top spot, Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them had to vacate its throne after just one week, but still earned a healthy $45.1 million across the three-day weekend. And Doctor Strange slipped to third with $13.3 million after four weeks in the charts, but has something of its own to celebrate, becoming Marvel's most successful character introduction movie with more than $600 million worldwide.
Fourth place went to Robert Zemeckis' World War II tale Allied, which didn't manage to perform despite being targeted as something for grownups who didn't want to watch family films or superheroes. The new drama earned $13 million for the three days, and $18 million taking its pre-Thanksgiving release. Fifth was Arrival, as the sci-fi film continued to do well. It's now up to $62.3 million in the States after adding $11.2 million this weekend.
Trolls, hit by the new animated arrival, fell from third to sixth, earning $10.3 million. Family comedy drama Almost Christmas took in $7.6 million. A slightly less charming festive offering landed with a thud, as Bad Santa 2 received coal in its stocking from both critics and audiences, opening on Wednesday and ending up in eighth with $9 million.
Hacksaw Ridge fell to ninth, adding $5.4 million and The Edge Of Seventeen slipped to 10th with $2.9 million. And we have to voyage outside of the top 10 for a moment to report on Warren Beatty's latest, Rules Don't Apply. The comedy drama failed to catch the audience's attention and opened 12th with $2.1 million. It's a sorry end for a film that Beatty has long wanted to make.