‘Encanto’ Adds $5.8 Million on Thanksgiving, Heads for $40 Million-Plus Box Office Launch

While this Thanksgiving weekend box office won’t be anywhere near pre-pandemic levels, Disney’s “Encanto” and MGM’s “House of Gucci” are providing encouraging signs for family films and adult dramas, both of which have largely struggled in theaters this year.

After earning $7.5 million on opening day, “Encanto” has added $5.8 million on Thanksgiving Day to bring its total to $13.3 million heading into the weekend. While tracking is difficult at this point, the film appears to be on track to beat pre-release projections of $35-40 million. As characteristic for Disney animation, reception has been very strong for “Encanto” with an A on CinemaScore and a 93% Rotten Tomatoes score.

“House of Gucci,” which grossed $4.2 million on its opening day, has added $3.3 million on Thursday for a total of $7.5 million. It is set to become the first adult drama this year to post a three-day launch over $10 million and a five-day launch of over $20 million. Reception has been somewhat positive at 60% on Rotten Tomatoes and a B+ on CinemaScore, but the presence of Lady Gaga in the film’s lead role has likely boosted turnout among younger moviegoers compared to other mature dramas.

Sony’s “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” is also doing well this holiday period, adding $5.4 million on Thursday and falling just shy of topping “Encanto” and becoming the top grossing film on Thursday. Through seven days, the Jason Reitman sequel has a domestic total of $63.3 million against a $75 million budget.

Finally, Sony also released Screen Gems’ “Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City” this weekend, earning $2.5 million on Wednesday and adding $1 million on Thursday for a $3.5 million total. The film is now expected to fall short of pre-release projections of an $8-10 million extended opening, though the film has a much lower price tag of $25 million, compared to $75 million for “House of Gucci” and $120 million for “Encanto.”