Ranveer Singh's 'Dhurandhar' breaks into Top 5 HIGHEST-EARNING movies at American box office; 'Zootopia 2' reclaims No. 1 spot

Disney’s Zootopia 2 reclaimed the domestic No.1 spot with an estimated $26.3m in its third weekend and has now crossed $1.14bn worldwide — including $502.4m in China — making it the year’s biggest recent Hollywood hit in that market (only Lilo & Stitch has topped $1bn among 2025 Hollywood releases, while China’s Ne Zha 2 approaches $2bn). Blumhouse’s Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 fell roughly 70% to an estimated $15.4m in weekend two but has amassed $95.5m domestically on a $36m budget, underscoring horror’s high ROI; Bollywood’s Dhurandhar is outperforming overseas expectations ($3.45m weekend, $7.89m North America, Rs110 crore+ overseas), suggesting strong international demand for Indian content. By contrast, James L. Brooks’ Ella McCay opened to just $2.1m against a $35m cost amid poor reviews, and studios will be watching the upcoming holiday slate (Avatar: Fire and Ash, SpongeBob, Anaconda, etc.) to lift a year-to-date box office that is roughly flat with last year.

Analysis

Zootopia 2 reclaimed the domestic No. 1 spot with an estimated $26.3 million in its third weekend and has now reached $1.14 billion worldwide, including $502.4 million from China, making it a standout international performer; only Disney's Lilo & Stitch has also topped $1 billion among 2025 Hollywood releases while China’s Ne Zha 2 approaches $2 billion domestically. Five Nights at Freddy's 2 fell about 70% in its second weekend to $15.4 million but has accumulated $95.5 million domestically on a reported $36 million production budget, highlighting strong unit economics for low-to-mid budget horror franchises. Bollywood spy thriller Dhurandhar is driving unexpected overseas strength with a $3.45 million weekend and $7.89 million North America total (over Rs 110 crore overseas), pointing to growing international demand for Indian content, while Ella McCay's $2.1 million opening against a $35 million cost and poor reviews signals downside risk for adult-focused wide releases. Comscore data showing year-to-date box office roughly flat with last year underscores that holiday releases (Avatar: Fire and Ash, SpongeBob, Anaconda, etc.) are the primary near-term catalysts; investors should watch Chinese grosses, franchise hold rates, and weekend drop-offs as immediate indicators of studio revenue and licensing prospects.

Key Decisions for Investors

• Consider modestly overweighting Disney (DIS) exposure to theatrical and IP monetization given Zootopia 2's $1.14bn global haul and $502.4m China strength, but monitor Chinese box-office trends and the impact of the upcoming Avatar release
• Avoid or underweight exposure to theatrical-dependent mid-budget adult dramas after Ella McCay's $2.1m opening on a $35m cost and poor reviews, which suggests downside risk for similar slate items
• Use box-office cadence and hold rates (e.g., Five Nights at Freddy's 2 70% second-week drop) as short-term trading signals for media names and consider hedging around the holiday slate where outcomes will materially affect studio results
• Monitor international/EM content and distributors for upside following Dhurandhar's outsized overseas performance, and favor companies with proven global distribution or strong licensing pipelines