AMC Theatres, the biggest circuit globally, posted the highest domestic revenue in its 104-year history for a pre-Thanksgiving weekend counting admissions, food and beverage, and merchandise.
The past three days, with the debuts of Wicked and Gladiator 2, also saw the highest domestic admissions revenue on the weekend before Thanksgiving since 2019, and the third highest domestic admissions revenue on the weekend before Thanksgiving in the chain’s history.
Fans flocked to the movies in the U.S. and internationally with AMC Theatres and Odeon Cinemas welcoming a combined 4.6 million moviegoers from Thursday to Sunday. Domestically, two of the most anticipated tentpoles of the year drove an overall estimated $205 million domestic weekend.
“What a wonderful way to head into what we expect will be a busy and entertaining holiday moviegoing season,” said AMC Entertainment CEO Adam Aron.
Domestically, AMC’s merchandise programs for Wicked sold out midway through the weekend, including green and pink popcorn vessels and a 32-ounce Grippr Cup with two translucent toppers – both based on the Universal film’s main witchy characters Elphaba and Glinda.
Separately, starting in late December, the company said select AMC locations will play Wicked Singalong showtimes with the lyrics on screen. More information to come on times and locations.
“We extend our gratitude and congratulations to [director] Jon M. Chu and our partners at Universal Pictures on Wicked’s success, and as well extend our gratitude and congratulations to Sir Ridley Scott and our partners at Paramount for the success of Gladiator II. Both films were expertly made, and brilliantly marketed to their audiences,” Aron said, calling the lively weekend “yet another demonstration that moviegoers want to see these films on the biggest screens, with the biggest sounds, and that theatrical exhibition is ready and able to support multiple blockbuster titles opening on the same weekend.”
Heading into the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday weekend, Moana 2 opens in U.S. cinemas on Wednesday and at Odeon Cinemas in the UK on November 29.
Odeon Cinemas recorded its single-day revenue high for 2024 (admissions plus food & beverage) on Saturday.