“Zootopia 2” reclaimed the No. 1 spot at the domestic box office, earning $26.3 million in its third weekend of release, according to studio estimates on Sunday. The Walt Disney Co. animated sequel also became 2025’s second film to surpass $1 billion in global box office revenue.
With the arrival of “Avatar: Fire and Ash” on Friday, it was a relatively quiet weekend in theaters, as no major new releases opened. This left “Zootopia 2” and Universal Pictures and Blumhouse Productions’ “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” to compete for the top position.
“Zootopia 2” edged out its competitor, reaching $1.14 billion in worldwide ticket sales, boosted significantly by its success in China, where it has grossed $502.4 million, making it one of the biggest Hollywood hits in the country in recent years. The only other 2025 Hollywood film to surpass $1 billion globally was Disney’s “Lilo & Stitch,” which earned $1.04 billion. The year’s highest-grossing movie, however, remains the Chinese blockbuster “Ne Zha 2,” which collected nearly $2 billion domestically.
“Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” earned $15.4 million in its second weekend, a 70% drop from its strong debut. Despite the decline, the film’s domestic total of $95.5 million represents a solid return for Blumhouse, whose $36 million production adds another successful horror franchise to its portfolio.
The most notable new release of the weekend was James L. Brooks’ “Ella McCay,” his first directed film in 15 years. Opening in 2,500 locations, it earned only $2.1 million, making it one of the year’s weakest wide releases. The comic drama, starring newcomer Emma Mackey as a 34-year-old woman who becomes governor of her home state, received poor reviews (22% “fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes) and struggled to attract a large audience. The film, which also features Jamie Lee Curtis, Ayo Edebiri, and Woody Harrelson, had a production budget of $35 million.
With overall ticket sales for the year nearly matching last year’s disappointing totals, Hollywood hopes the upcoming holiday season—the busiest moviegoing period—will end 2025 on a high note. Anticipated releases include “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” “The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants,” “Marty Supreme,” “Anaconda,” and “Song Sung Blue.”
Top 10 Movies by Domestic Box Office (Estimated, Friday–Sunday, U.S. & Canada):
1.“Zootopia 2” – $26.3 million
2.“Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” – $19.5 million
3.“Wicked: For Good” – $8.6 million
4.“Dhurandhar” – $3.5 million
5.“Now You See Me: Now You Don’t” – $2.4 million
6.“Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution” – $2.1 million
7.“Ella McCay” – $2.1 million
8.“Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (2000) – $1.9 million
9.“Eternity” – $1.8 million
10.“Hamnet” – $1.5 million
