Box office | Sonic the Hedgehog 3 takes the lead

(New York) Sonic the Hedgehog 3 hit the top of the North American box office upon its release this weekend, the little blue hedgehog exceeding predictions with $62 million in revenue according to estimates on Sunday from specialist firm Exhibitor Relations.

This December release is one of the best in recent years, according to film industry experts.

In terms of total revenue, the third opus in the series featuring the hedgehog – who became famous thanks to Sega's eponymous video game – will “far exceed” Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and its $405 million raised in 2022, according to David Gross, an industry expert.

In this hybrid film with animated and human characters, carried by Paramount Studios, Jim Carrey plays the mad scientist Ivo Robotnik, with Ben Schwartz and Keanu Reeves who respectively lend their voices to Sonic and his rival Shadow.

Disney's latest animated film, Mufasa: The Lion Kinga prelude to the famous The Lion Kingcomes in second and totaled $35 million from Friday to Sunday, according to estimates. A less good start than expected, according to David Gross, but Mufasa should nevertheless take advantage of the school holidays to roar a little louder at the box office.

The film, with the voices of Aaron Pierre, Seth Rogen, Beyoncé and Donald Glover, cost around $300 million to produce and promote, according to the specialist magazine Variety.

The Wicked from Universal Studios grossed $13.5 million more, surpassing $570 million in worldwide revenue since its release. This big screen adaptation of a famous Broadway musical – which would be well placed for the Oscars – immerses spectators in the world of Wizard of Oz.

Still in the lead the previous weekend, Moana 2 fell to 4^e place (13.1 million). The latest Disney cartoon, which marks the return of the Polynesian heroine, has however already earned nearly 800 million dollars worldwide.

For its release, the postapocalyptic thriller Homestead take 5^e place at the North American box office (6.1 million), with Neal McDonough and Dawn Olivieri in the story of a family who flees the chaos of a nuclear attack to find refuge in the fortress house of a survivalist eccentric.