AMC Theaters breaks pre-Thanksgiving box office record with Wicked. Gladiator 2

On By Littum

AMC Theatres, the largest circuit globally, had the highest domestic sales in its 104-year history for a pre-Thanksgiving weekend, counting admission, food and beverage and merchandise.

The past three days, with the debut of Evil and Gladiator 2the circuit also saw the highest pre-Thanksgiving weekend domestic admissions since 2019, and the third-highest pre-Thanksgiving weekend domestic admissions in chain history.

Fans flocked to theaters in the US and internationally with AMC Theaters and Odeon Cinemas welcoming a combined 4.6 million moviegoers from Thursday to Sunday. Domestically, two of the year’s most anticipated tentpoles ran an overall estimated $205 million domestic weekend.

“What a wonderful way to enter what we expect will be a busy and entertaining holiday movie season,” said AMC Entertainment CEO Adam Aron.

Domestic programs AMC’s merchandise for Evil sold out midway through the weekend, including green and pink popcorn containers and a 32-ounce Grippr Cup with two translucent tops – both based on the Universal film’s main witch characters Elphaba and Glinda.

Separately, starting in late December, the company said select AMC locations will play Evil Singalong showtimes with the lyrics on screen. More information to follow regarding times and locations.

“We extend our gratitude and congratulations to (director) Jon M. Chu and our partners at Universal Pictures on Evils success, and we also send our gratitude and congratulations to Sir Ridley Scott and our partners at Paramount for the success of Gladiator II. Both films were expertly produced and superbly marketed to their audiences,” Aron said, calling the lively weekend “another demonstration that moviegoers want to see these films on the biggest screens, with the biggest sounds, and that the theatrical exhibition is ready and able to support multiple blockbuster titles opening in the same weekend.”

Heading into the American Thanksgiving weekend, Moana 2 opens in US cinemas on Wednesday and at Odeon Cinemas in the UK on November 29.

Odeon Cinemas recorded its one-day earnings high for 2024 (admission plus F&B) on Saturday.