Disney's 'Wish' and 'Napoleon': Box Office Expectations for the Holiday Weekend Unveiled

As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, the battle for box office supremacy is brewing with the anticipated releases of Disney's "Wish" and Ridley Scott's "Napoleon." This tradition of major film releases during Thanksgiving continues this year, promising audiences an array of cinematic delights to enjoy over the festive season.

"Wish," a musical origin story revolving around the iconic Wishing Star, holds the potential to lead the box office charts this Thanksgiving weekend. Boasting original music and featuring the voices of Ariana DeBose and Chris Pine, the film directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee follows the tale of Asha, a young girl embarking on a quest to save the Kingdom of Rosas from impending darkness.

The film is projected to make a robust debut, expected to rake in $35 million over the traditional weekend and reach $45 to $50 million within its first five days of release. Despite these promising numbers, Disney's recent Thanksgiving releases haven't matched pre-pandemic standards. Notably, "Strange World" in 2022 underperformed with only $18 million over its first five days and struggled to recover in subsequent weeks.

Meanwhile, Ridley Scott's ambitious historical epic, "Napoleon," starring Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby, also vies for box office success. This $200 million film, Apple's next theatrical venture after "Killers of the Flower Moon," is anticipating a $16 million opening over the weekend and aims for a $24 million international box office tally.

The battle for box office supremacy between these two major releases, coupled with the performances of other films like "Trolls Band Together" and indie releases "Saltburn" and "The Holdovers," is set to determine the landscape of this year's Thanksgiving movie lineup.

Disney's "Wish" seeks to revive box office fortunes amidst recent underperformances, banking on catchy tunes and captivating storytelling to attract family audiences back to theaters. On the other hand, "Napoleon," despite its significant budget, faces the challenge of proving itself commercially viable in comparison to Apple's prior cinematic venture.

As audiences gear up for a holiday cinematic feast, the clash between Disney's magical musical and Scott's epic historical drama is poised to be a significant highlight of this year's Thanksgiving box office battle.