Sonic 3 Leads, A Complete Unknown, Nosferatu Open

“Sonic the Hedgehog 3” topped box office competition on Christmas Eve.

The film raked in $7.5 million from 3,700 North American theaters on Tuesday. “Sonic 3” is expected to bring in $50 million between Wednesday and Sunday. So far, the animated threequel about a blue anthropomorphic speed demon has collected $60 million domestically. It opens internationally on Christmas Day.

Disney’s “Mufasa: The Lion King” trotted close behind with $7.1 million on Tuesday, boosting its tally to $49.6 million in North America and over $150 million worldwide. The “Lion King” prequel is on pace to generate about $45 million during the five-day holiday frame.

During the Christmas stretch, three newcomers will join the ticket race: Searchlight’s Bob Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown,” Focus Features’ “Nosferatu” remake and A24’s erotic thriller “Babygirl.” These films officially open on Wednesday, with only the first two playing on Tuesday afternoons, limiting the daily showtimes. With no potential billion-dollar tentpole along the lines of “Avatar,” “Star Wars” or “Spider-Man” on the calendar around the holidays, exhibitors are betting on November holdovers like “Moana 2,” “Wicked” and ” Gladiator II” to boost revenue during one of the busiest times of the year for filming.

“A Complete Unknown,” starring Timothee Chalamet as music and counterculture icon Bob Dylan, earned $1.4 million Tuesday from 1,880 locations. This figure includes screenings in mid-December in Imax and Alamo Drafthouse locations. James Mangold (“Walk the Line”) directed the film, which is expected to bring in $15 million from 2,500 locations over the five days. It reportedly cost between $60 million to $70 million, so it faces an uphill battle for profitability. Fortunately, musical biopics have been quite popular in theaters (see: “Bob Marley: One Love”, “Elvis” and “Bohemian Rhapsody”), while Chalamet has cemented his status as a bankable star with the successes “Wonka” and “Dune”: Second part.”

“Nosferatu” did not report Tuesday previews, where it was booked on select Imax and 35mm screens. The gothic tale of a terrifying vampire stalking a haunted young woman, from director Robert Eggers, is poised to deliver the biggest start among newcomers with $25 million in its first five days of release. The film, helmed by Bill Skarsgård, Nicholas Hoult and Lily-Rose Depp, cost around $50 million to produce and will rely on staying power through the holidays to justify its budget.

“Babygirl,” starring Nicole Kidman as a high-powered CEO who has an affair with an intern, did not have previews Tuesday. The film begins playing in 2,100 theaters on Wednesday and looks to generate $7 million through Sunday.

Meanwhile, “Wicked” and “Moana 2” each collected about $3 million Tuesday and look to add between $20 million and $22 million through the extended holiday frame. “Wicked,” Universal’s adaptation of the Broadway smash, has grossed nearly $400 million domestically and $577 million worldwide to date. Originally commissioned for streaming, “Moana 2” has become a theatrical success with $366 million in the U.S. and $800 million globally.