Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Races Far Past Morbius to Claim Top Spot at Box Office



Once again, Sonic the Hedgehog is the king of the box office. With the premiere of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 in theaters, the sequel has pulled in a domestic haul of $71 million at the box office. This by far solidifies the speedster’s sequel as the No. 1 movie at the box office, putting it above the No. 2 movie, Morbius, by about $60 million. This is the strong opening that Paramount had been expecting for Sonic 2, justifying their plans to move forward with more sequels and a Knuckles spinoff series.

While the movie theater industry is still recovering from the pandemic era, fans were coming out in droves to see the new Sonic film. The original movie, released in early 2020 just ahead of the pandemic, pulled in $58 million for its opening weekend with the President’s Day holiday bumping it up to $70 million. The studio credits this success to Sonic the Hedgehog 2’s ability to appeal to both fans of the video games as well as people who’ve never played any of them.

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

“This film did such a great job in service of the fans while not excluding general audiences. That’s a neat trick,” said Chris Aronson, Paramount’s president of domestic distribution, per Variety.

Morbius had a pretty solid opening weekend last week, but with its $10.2 million haul in the U.S. and Canada, the film’s performance has dropped by about 74%. Negative reviews certainly did not help that film keep up its momentum with its second weekend in theaters. At 17% on Rotten Tomatoes, the film is one of the lowest-rated Marvel movies ever released.

Related: Sonic the Hedgehog 2’s Colleen O’Shaughnessey Talks Taking Tails to the Big Screen

Ambulance Came Up Short for Michael Bay and Jake Gyllenhaal

Universal Pictures

Director Michael Bay’s new action film Ambulance underperformed with its debut, premiering in the No. 4 spot with $8.7 million. The film, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and Eiza Gonzalex, follows two adoptive siblings who hijack an ambulance after a bank robbery gone wrong, taking two first responders hostage. It had a $40 million budget.

The Batman is still drawing crowds at theaters over a month past its theatrical premiere. The Matt Reeves-directed, Robert Pattinson-led superhero flick has pulled in another $6.5 million in the U.S. and Canada. After Everything Everywhere All at Once and Uncharted, Marvel’s Spider-Man: No Way Home is still throwing more stacks of money onto its own monstrous haul, this time with another $625K. The 25th anniversary re-release of Selena and Ti West’s acclaimed slasher movie X rounded out the rest of the top 10.

You can see the full top 10 list for the domestic box office below, and you can also find more detailed information at The Numbers.

  • Sonic the Hedgehog 2 – $71 million
  • Morbius – $10.2 million
  • The Lost City – $9.1 million
  • Ambulance – $8.7 million
  • The Batman – $6.5 million
  • Everything Everywhere All at Once – $6 million
  • Uncharted – $2.6 million
  • Spider-Man: No Way Home – $625K
  • Selena: 25th Anniversary – $402K
  • X – $359K
  • Backyard Sports: Why the Game Franchise Should Get Adapted

    Read Next

    About The Author

    Jeremy Dick
    (5455 Articles Published)

    Jeremy Dick has been a writer and editor since 2014. He is a self-professed horror expert, pop culture enthusiast, and Bob Saget fanatic.

    More
    From Jeremy Dick

    You can view the original article HERE.

    Original ‘Wheel of Fortune’ Host Chuck Woolery Dead at 83
    Original ‘Wheel of Fortune’ Host Chuck Woolery Dead at 83
    ‘Wicked’ Moviegoers Dress Up in Outfits Inspired by Characters
    ‘Wicked’ Moviegoers Dress Up in Outfits Inspired by Characters
    Khalid Comes Out As Gay, Says He Was Outed
    Khalid Comes Out As Gay, Says He Was Outed
    Porsha Williams Sued by Ex Simon Guobadia Over Erectile Dysfunction Posts
    Porsha Williams Sued by Ex Simon Guobadia Over Erectile Dysfunction Posts
    Every ‘Karate Kid’ Actor Who Came Back for ‘Cobra Kai’
    Every ‘Karate Kid’ Actor Who Came Back for ‘Cobra Kai’
    The Finale Sets Up a Wild Season 2
    The Finale Sets Up a Wild Season 2
    Black Harvest Film Festival 2024: A Reflection of a City on the Rise | Festivals & Awards
    Black Harvest Film Festival 2024: A Reflection of a City on the Rise | Festivals & Awards
    Cher Says Director Peter Bogdanovich Was an “A**Hole” on the Set of ‘Mask’
    Cher Says Director Peter Bogdanovich Was an “A**Hole” on the Set of ‘Mask’
    Sean Ono Lennon says he started making music to “fill the void” after John Lennon’s death
    Sean Ono Lennon says he started making music to “fill the void” after John Lennon’s death
    Watch Jon McClure recreate ‘Love Actually’ cards sequence in Reverend and the Makers Christmas Number One bid
    Watch Jon McClure recreate ‘Love Actually’ cards sequence in Reverend and the Makers Christmas Number One bid
    Yes frontman “deeply hurt” as he hits back at “blatant lies” of former bandmate’s lawsuit
    Yes frontman “deeply hurt” as he hits back at “blatant lies” of former bandmate’s lawsuit
    Banks announces fifth album ‘Off With Her Head’ with impassioned new single ‘Best Friends’
    Banks announces fifth album ‘Off With Her Head’ with impassioned new single ‘Best Friends’
    Pacers’ Haliburton after loss to Bucks: ‘I’ve got to be better’
    Pacers’ Haliburton after loss to Bucks: ‘I’ve got to be better’
    49ers’ Purdy, Bosa out vs. Packers due to injuries
    49ers’ Purdy, Bosa out vs. Packers due to injuries
    76ers’ George out next 2 games with knee injury
    76ers’ George out next 2 games with knee injury
    President Biden welcomes 2024 NBA champion Boston Celtics to White House
    President Biden welcomes 2024 NBA champion Boston Celtics to White House
    TV Shows Doing Nostalgia Right (Without Making It Cringe)
    TV Shows Doing Nostalgia Right (Without Making It Cringe)
    ‘Arcane’ Poster With AI Enhancements Slammed By Fans and Removed by Netflix
    ‘Arcane’ Poster With AI Enhancements Slammed By Fans and Removed by Netflix
    ‘Silo’s Syndrome Illness Is Nowhere to Be Found in the Books
    ‘Silo’s Syndrome Illness Is Nowhere to Be Found in the Books
    10 TV Characters Who’d Be Thanksgiving Dinner Nightmares (And 5 Who’d Be a Dream)
    10 TV Characters Who’d Be Thanksgiving Dinner Nightmares (And 5 Who’d Be a Dream)
    New CEO’s at Saint Laurent & Balenciaga, Massive Editor Exits, & More Moves To Peruse!
    New CEO’s at Saint Laurent & Balenciaga, Massive Editor Exits, & More Moves To Peruse!
    Hearst Layoffs Backlash, Bergdorf Goodman’s Holiday Windows
    Hearst Layoffs Backlash, Bergdorf Goodman’s Holiday Windows
    Luxe Resorts We Love For A Winter Getaway!
    Luxe Resorts We Love For A Winter Getaway!
    Alex Consani Wants An Aritzia Birkin For Christmas
    Alex Consani Wants An Aritzia Birkin For Christmas