Amazon MGM is bringing big spectacle to theaters this weekend with the Christmas action film “Red One” starring Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans. But box office projections point to the film being only a small appetizer before the feast that Universal’s “Wicked” and Paramount’s “Gladiator II” will bring next weekend.
The 2024 domestic box office is running 12% behind the pace of last year, but that deficit likely will be narrowed thanks to next weekend’s pair of big releases, combined with the Thanksgiving debut of “Moana 2,” with the Disney film currently projected for a $135 million extended launch, which could be the biggest five-day opening ever.