Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Tops Box Office with $62M Opening Weekend

The threequel outpaced Disney's Mufasa: The Lion King domestically while awaiting its global release next week.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 debuted with a $62 million domestic opening, surpassing expectations and securing the number one spot at the box office.
Disney's Mufasa: The Lion King earned $35 million domestically, falling short of projections despite leading internationally with $87.2 million overseas.
Strong critical reception and an A CinemaScore contributed to Sonic 3's success, compared to Mufasa's mixed reviews and A- CinemaScore.
Paramount effectively marketed Sonic 3, emphasizing Keanu Reeves' Shadow the Hedgehog as a compelling new villain and raising the film's stakes.
Sonic 3's $110 million budget positioned it as a more financially efficient production compared to Mufasa's $200 million budget, aiding its profitability.