CNN —Instead of lounging on the couch after Thanksgiving, Americans headed to movie theaters, as the premiere of Disney’s “Moana 2” and the draw of “Wicked” and “Gladiator II” provided a big boost to the domestic box office. The success of the three films brought a new perspective on where the box office year can wind up, he said, since no one expected this to be a $420 million Thanksgiving weekend. Reviving the moviegoing experienceLoria said Universal, Paramount and Disney focused on theatrical-driven marketing campaigns, which movie theater companies could lean into. It meant movie theaters stepped up to cater to three very different audiences: those looking for epic historical action, musical fantasy and animated adventure. Dergarabedian said the theater screen goes hand-in-hand with streaming services at home and can build up the success of a movie long-term.

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Persons: ”, Moana, “, Mario, ” Alan Bergman, Paul Dergarabedian, Barbie ”, “ Oppenheimer, Lionsgate’s “, Daniel Loria, Sony’s “ Kraven, Hunter ”, King ”, Michael O’Leary, Loria, Dergarabedian Organizations: CNN, Mario Bros, Disney Entertainment, Universal, Paramount Pictures, Amazon MGM Studios, Warner Brothers Discovery, Warner Bros, Boxoffice, National Association of Theatre Owners, Paramount, Disney