Following the underperformance of Mufasa: The Lion King at the domestic box office, Disney has made some controversial statements about the film’s success.
Despite Mufasa earning $35 million in North America during its opening weekend, compared to Sonic The Hedgehog 3’s $62 million, Disney has claimed Mufasa is the “#1 Movie in The World.”
Controversy Over Social Media Claims
This bold claim has drawn criticism from Sonic 3 fans, who pointed out that the hedgehog’s film outperformed Mufasa in the U.S. market. The situation escalated when Disney’s social media posts were flooded with comments calling out the claim, many of which were later marked as “Hidden Posts” on X (formerly Twitter).
Disney’s argument stems from the fact that Mufasa had already opened in 15 countries worldwide, while Sonic 3 had only premiered in the U.S. and Canada by December 20. Sonic 3 won’t open internationally until December 25, prompting some fans to accuse Disney of manipulating data to support its claim.
The censorship of fan comments has raised questions about transparency. While some blocked posts were spam, many highlighted Sonic 3’s box office success and criticized Disney’s claim. One comment, which had been hidden, called Mufasa a “soul-less live action” and emphasized their support for Sonic 3.
Why Is Sonic 3 Outperforming Mufasa?
Several factors contribute to Sonic 3’s stronger performance. The film benefited from a positive critical reception and effective marketing, especially with the addition of Keanu Reeves as the villain, Shadow. Additionally, Sonic 3 had a smaller budget of $110 million, compared to Mufasa’s $200 million.
On the other hand, Mufasa faced stiff competition from other family films like Moana 2, and it received mixed reviews. The delays caused by the pandemic and industry strikes may have contributed to audience fatigue, affecting the film’s initial reception.
It will be interesting to see how both films perform globally, especially with The Lion King (2019) having grossed $1.1 billion outside North America.
