Box Office: Mufasa OUTPACES Sonic 3 in US; The Lion King prequel has last laugh after losing opening weekend battle

Mufasa: The Lion King has surpassed Sonic the Hedgehog 3 at the US box office, proving its staying power after a slow start and turning the tables on its opening weekend rival.

Written by Seema Sinha , Entertainment Journalist

Published on Feb 10, 2025 | 03:44 PM IST | 123.5K

Picture Courtesy: Disney / Paramount Pictures

Disney's Mufasa: The Lion King has officially surpassed Sonic the Hedgehog 3 at the domestic box office, proving early skepticism about itself wrong. When both films opened on December 20, Sonic 3 dominated with a $64.4 million opening weekend, nearly doubling Mufasa’s $34.4 million debut. Many assumed that The Lion King's prequel would struggle to keep up, but its incredible staying power led to a remarkable turnaround. Mufasa now sits at $235.2 million domestically, outpacing Sonic 3’s $231.7 million in the U.S.

Beyond the domestic battle, Mufasa has also outperformed Sonic 3 on the global stage. The film’s international cume stands at $435.9 million, bringing its worldwide earnings to $671 million. This past weekend alone, it added $8.5 million internationally, maintaining its momentum as it approaches the $700 million mark. As mentioned earlier, what makes the accomplishment more impressive is that Mufasa was initially written off after its soft opening, despite which it spent an incredible eight consecutive weekends in the domestic Top 5.

Not that Sonic 3 isn’t a huge success in its own right. The Paramount film has earned a franchise-best $463.7 million globally, easily surpassing its predecessors. With a $122 million production budget, the film has delivered an excellent return on investment, leading the studio to set a March 2027 release date for the fourth installment.

Directed by Jeff Fowler, the film follows Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles as they battle Shadow the Hedgehog, who joins forces with the vengeful scientist duo Dr. Ivo and Gerald Robotnik. The film stars Ben Schwartz, Jim Carrey, Idris Elba, James Marsden, and Keanu Reeves.

Mufasa: The Lion King, for its part, serves as both a prequel and a sequel to 2019’s The Lion King. The story chronicles the origin of Simba’s father while continuing the Pride Lands’ legacy. The production boasts a stellar voice cast featuring Donald Glover, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner, and John Kani, along with newcomers Aaron Pierre, Kelvin Harrison Jr., and Blue Ivy Carter in her feature film debut.

While Mufasa bested Sonic 3 at the North American box office, both films have proven to be major hits, reinforcing their respective franchises' strength in an ever-competitive industry.