The domestic box office has seen multiple major upsets, with Mufasa: The Lion King, One of Them Days, and Wolf Man all performing much differently than expected. The Universal Monster remake Wolf Man, which is Leigh Whannell’s follow-up to 2020’s The Invisible Man, opened over Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend, on the same day as the new Keke Palmer comedy One of Them Days. The Lion King prequel is the oldest of the trio, as the Mufasa release kicked off back in 2024, the weekend before Christmas.
Per Deadline, as of Saturday morning, Mufasa: The Lion King is projected to close out the holiday weekend with a 4-day domestic total of $16.5 million, which will see it take No. 1 on the box office chart for the weekend, beating out every new wide release of 2025. That roster also includes the heist movie sequel Den of Thieves 2: Pantera.
Meanwhile, One of Them Days has defied initial expectations by taking No. 2 with an estimated 4-day gross between $14 and $15 million. It has taken the lead over Wolf Man, which is now projected to hit No. 3 with a 4-day debut of $12 million.
What This Means For One Of Them Days And Wolf Man
Their Prospects Look Very Different
Early projections showed Wolf Man coming in quite a bit higher than its MLK weekend competition, but it seems entirely possible that One of Them Days reviews have allowed the comedy to triumph over the anticipated horror remake, as the movie’s overwhelmingly positive response earned it a near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes score of 96%, which is the best of Keke Palmer’s career. Meanwhile, the Whannell movie came out of the gate with a much more mixed reception, earning it a Rotten 53% score.
Leigh Whannell’s The Invisible Man remake had a much better reception, earning a Certified Fresh score of 91%.
As a result of their debuts, Wolf Man release could struggle to catch up with One of Them Days both in terms of raw numbers and profits. The Keke Palmer movie cost $14 million, meaning that it will make its budget back by the end of the weekend and be well on its way toward its estimated break-even point of $35 million. Wolf Man‘s slightly higher $25 million budget likely places its break-even point around $62.5 million, which puts it on a rockier road toward profitability, especially considering the fact that horror movies typically have sharp week 2 drops.
Our Take On The Weekend Box Office
2025 Is Struggling To Get Off The Ground
Although the future is looking bright for One of Them Days, the fact that neither it nor Wolf Man could beat Mufasa: The Lion King in its fifth weekend shows that 2025 still has yet to produce a major runaway hit. In fact, this is the third-lowest overall MLK weekend in the past 10 years. As they were the most promising new releases of January, the 2025 box office may have to wait until at least February 14 for a rebound, when the Valentine’s Day weekend sees the debut of both Captain America: Brave New World and Paddington in Peru.
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Source: Deadline
Movie
My Favorite Movies
My WatchlistMufasa: The Lion King explores the origins of the beloved character Mufasa, focusing on his youth as a lost cub who encounters Taka, a royal heir. Their meeting initiates an epic journey of self-discovery and destiny, featuring a group of misfit companions navigating the challenges of their world.
Release Date
December 18, 2024
Main Genre
Adventure
Cast
Aaron Pierre
, Kelvin Harrison Jr.
, Tiffany Boone
, Kagiso Lediga
, Preston Nyman
, Blue Ivy Carter
, John Kani
, Mads Mikkelsen
, Seth Rogen
, Billy Eichner
, Thandiwe Newton
, Lennie James
, Anika Noni Rose
, Keith David
, Braelyn Rankins
, Donald Glover
, Beyoncé
, Folake Olowofoyeku
, Joanna Jones
, Thuso Mbedu
, Sheila Atim
, Abdul Salis
, Dominique Jennings
, Derrick L. McMillon
, Maestro HarrellCharacter(s)
Mufasa (voice)
, Taka (voice)
, Sarabi (voice)
, Young Rafiki (voice)
, Zazu (voice)
, Kiara (voice)
, Rafiki (voice)
, Kiros (voice)
, Pumbaa (voice)
, Timon (voice)
, Eshe (voice)
, Obasi (voice)
, Afia (voice)
, Masego (voice)
, Mufasa Cub (voice)
, Simba (voice)
, Nala (voice)
, Amara (voice)
, Akua (voice)
, Junia (voice)
, Ajarry (voice)
, Chigaru (voice)
, Sarafi (voice)
, Mosi (voice)
, Inaki (voice)Director
Barry Jenkins
Writers
Jeff Nathanson
Expand
Movie
My Favorite Movies
My WatchlistOne of Them Days, directed by Lawrence Lamont, follows best friends and roommates Dreux and Alyssa as they scramble to prevent eviction after discovering Alyssa’s boyfriend has squandered their rent money. This comedic adventure highlights their desperate and humorous attempts to save their home and friendship.
Release Date
January 17, 2025
Cast
Keke Palmer
, Sza
, Maude Apatow
, Lil Rel Howery
, Janelle James
, Katt Williams
, Vanessa Bell Calloway
, Keyla Monterroso Mejia
, Joshua Neal
, Aziza Scott
, Patrick Cage
, Dewayne Perkins
, Amin Joseph
, Gabrielle Dennis
, Dominique PerryCharacter(s)
Dreux
, AlyssaDirector
Lawrence Lamont
Writers
Syreeta Singleton
Expand
Movie
My Favorite Movies
My WatchlistWolf Man, released on January 15, 2025, follows Blake and his wife Charlotte as they visit his secluded childhood home in rural Oregon. After a mysterious animal attack, they become trapped inside, and Charlotte is forced to confront Blake’s disturbing transformation amidst growing tension and fear.
Release Date
January 15, 2025
Cast
Christopher Abbott
, Julia Garner
, Matilda Firth
, Sam Jaeger
, Ben Prendergast
, Benedict Hardie
, Beatriz Romilly
, Milo CawthorneCharacter(s)
Blake
, Charlotte
, Ginger
, UncreditedDirector
Leigh Whannell
Writers
Leigh Whannell
, Rebecca AngeloExpand
