Disney Film 'Moana' Update; Dwayne Johnson Movie Set To Dominate Thanksgiving Box Office; 'Allied' Starring Brad Pitt No Match?

By Abe Narra - 23 Nov '16 05:00AM

Disney's "Moana" is set to dominate the Thanksgiving holiday box office. The "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them", Brad Pitt, and the comeback movie of Warren Beatty have no match against this young Polynesian princess this Thanksgiving.

The Harry Potter spin-off "Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them" may have snatched the top film spot in the box office but this Disney film about a young princess from an ancient Polynesian island with help from a demigod (voiced by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson) projected a more than $80 million gross or more.

Voiced by newcomer Auli'i Cravalho, heroine Moana is set on a journey with demigod Maui on a journey across the sea. The film currently sits at an almost-perfect 99% rating from RottenTomatoes.

Its competition among new movies, a Robert Zemeckis' World War II spy thriller film "Allied," starring Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard is projected to gross $20 million. In this scenario, Paramount is being conservative and suggesting a surrender in the mid- to high-teen millions.

In the movie, Pitt plays a U.S. intelligence officer living in London who discovers that his French wife (Cotillard) may not be the kindred spy he thought she was. The movie got more hype after Cotillard was rumored to be the third part of the Brangelina split.

Beatty's "Rules Don't Apply" is not really expected to dominate the screen, with predictions that will only generate a gross of not beyond $7 million to $8 million over the holiday frame. Beatty's ode to old Hollywood and tells the story of a young woman played by Lily Collins and man played by Alden Ehrenreich who work for Howard Hughes.

"Bad Santa 2", starring Billy Bob Thorton, would need to gain their money from nostalgia and audience's craving for raunchy humor. Directed by Mark S. Waters, it also stars Kathy Bates, Tony Cox, and Brett Kelly.

But none of the newcomers are Moana's competition. Still, "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" starring Eddie Redmayne has still more money to generate after debuting last week at number one with $74.4 million and $220 million worldwide.