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Thanksgiving Box Office Record: ‘Moana 2’ Scores Dazzling $221 Million Debut, ‘Wicked’ Adds Huge $117 Million


"Moana 2" easily toppled Thanksgiving box office records while "Wicked" enjoyed a massive second weekend.

That’s because “Wicked” is the first of the two-part saga (the second installment, chronicling the back half of the stage show, lands on the big screen in 2025), each of which carry a $150 million price tag — not including the studio’s maximalist marketing blitz. Dwayne Johnson and Auliʻi Cravalho reprise their voice roles as the tattooed demigod Maui and the Polynesian heroine (who is not a princess) Moana in the sequel, in which the plucky wayfinder journeys far into the ocean to find a hidden island and break a curse. Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote such memorable hits as “How Far I’ll Go” and “You’re Welcome” for the first film, didn’t return for the second, instead passing songwriting duties to Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, the duo behind “The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical.” Reviews have been mixed, with a 65% on Rotten Tomatoes, but critical sentiment isn’t factoring into turnout for families.

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