As anticipated, ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY debuts dominantly this weekend with $152.2 million from 4,157 theatres for Disney. Despite equally strong reviews from Critics with 84% on the Tomatometer, getting an A CinemaScore from Audiences also, it cannot best last year’s STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS‘ record-setting $247 million opening. This however, makes ROGUE ONE the second-highest opening ever for a Film in December.

MOANA makes it a Disney Double, placing second with $12.5 million, a total of $162.7 million over four weeks domestically.

OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY lands in third this weekend with $7.9 million for Paramount Pictures, a total $31 million over two weeks.

COLLATERAL BEAUTY lands in fourth with $7.2 million from 3,028 theatres for Warner Bros.  Critics gave it a harsh 14% on the Tomatometer, while Audiences loved the Holiday Drama with an all-star cast including Kate Winslet, Edward Norton, Keira Knightley, Helen Mirren and Will Smith, with an A- CinemaScore.

MANCHESTER BY THE SEA expands to 1,208 theatres for Mongrel Media/Roadside Attractions, good enough for sixth with $4.1 million.

LA LA LAND also expands in its second week to just 200 theatres, earning a whopping $4.1 million for eOne Films/Lionsgate Films. This looks great for the Oscar contender which continues its expansion in coming weeks. It gets a Canadian release Christmas Day in select cities.

ARRIVAL is in ninth with $2.9 million for Paramount Pictures, a total $86.6 million now in six weeks.

NOCTURNAL ANIMALS rounds-out the Top Ten with 1,246 theatres for Universal Pictures with $1.4 million. In five weeks it has made $8.8 million.

For a third straight week Disney‘s MOANA takes the top of the Box Office, earning $18.8 million this weekend from 3,875 theatres.  In its domestic run thus far, it has grossed $145.3 million.

In second in its debut is Paramount Pictures’ OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY with $16.8 million from 3,210 theatres. The Holiday Comedy with an all-star cast including Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman, Kate McKinnon and T.J. Miller, gets a B CinemaScore from Audiences and a 44% on the Tomatometer from Critics.

FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM lands in third this weekend with $10 million for Warner Bros., just shy of the $200 million-mark over four weeks.

ARRIVAL shows amazing momentum now in its fifth week with $5.2 million for Paramount Pictures, earning $82 million across North America in five weeks.

NOCTURNAL ANIMALS expands to 1,262 theatres for Universal Pictures this weekend, making $3.6 million, a total $6.7 million over four weeks and a second Film for Amy Adams in the Top Ten this weekend in addition to ARRIVAL.

Oscar Contender MANCHESTER BY THE SEA expands to 368 theatres, bringing-in $3,1 million for Mongrel Media/Roadside Attractions. In four weeks it has tallied $8.2 million.

HACKSAW RIDGE rounds-out the Top Ten with $2.3 million for Elevation Pictures/Lionsgate Films, a total $60.8 million in six weeks.

Bubbling under is Oscar favourite LA LA LAND which plays in limited engagement in five theatres to earn an excellent $850k for eOne Films/Liosngate Films.

For a second straight week, MOANA tops the Box Office for Disney, with $29.6 million from 3,875 theatres. In two weeks it has made $121 million domestically, getting a break from competitors with no new wide releases slated.

Former champ FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM is in second with $16.8 million for Warner Bros., tallying $181.3 million over three weeks.

ALLIED lands in third with $7.3 million for Paramount Pictures in its second week, almost passing the $30-million mark.

ARRIVAL is in fourth with $7.1 million also for Paramount Pictures. In its four weeks out it has made $71 million.

BAD SANTA 2 is in eighth in its second week out with $3.1 million for eOne Films/Broad Green Pictures. It has made $15 million in its run so far.

Oscar contender MANCHESTER BY THE SEA rounds out the Top Ten with $2.2 million from only 156 theatres. It has made $4.3 million over three weeks for Mongrel Media/Roadside Attractions.

As expected, Disney’s MOANA takes the top of the Box Office this U.S. Thanksgiving holiday with $54.7 million from 3,875 theatres across North America. Critically, the Animated Feature gets a stellar 98% on the Tomatometer and an A CinemaScore.

FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM continues to bring-in strong numbers with $45 million in its second week out, a total $155.8 million domestically for Warner Bros.

DOCTOR STRANGE, a former Box Office topper, lands in third with $13.5 million for Marvel/Disney, surpassing $205 million in four weeks.

ALLIED debuts in fourth with $12.6 million for Paramount Pictures from 3160 theatres. Starring Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard, it gets 62% on the Tomatometer and a B CinemaScore.

BAD SANTA 2 opens in seventh with $5.2 million from 2,900 theatres for Broad Green Pictures/eOne Films with a C+ from Audiences at CinemaScore and 25% on the Tomatometer.

THE EDGE OF SEVETEEN rounds-out the Thanksgiving Top Ten with $2.9 million from 1,945 theatres for STX Entertainment/VVS Films. It has earned $4.1 million over two weeks.

Right in time for her 16th birthday, Hawaiian-born singer/actress Auli’i Cravalho is in Toronto today to promote her debut Feature, Disney’s Moana.  The lovely burgeoning star was handpicked by the studio after a rigorous audition process which saw her last to audition and first to be chosen out of hundreds of young Polynesian women.

Her first name pronounced “Ow-Lee-Ee“, Cravalho endured the wind and cold to make stops around the morning circuit here including CITY‘s Breakfast Television and a taping of Entertainment CITY. In addition, she appeared on CP24 Breakfast and Global‘s The Morning Show after meeting with Press all day yesterday.

We met the star herself this morning, flower adorning her hair, and full of charm. She loved Billy!

See our Snap:

With the lovely star of Disney’s #MOANA, #AuliiCravalho, in Toronto today. Expect Box Office domination for this U.S. Thanksgiving animated adventure!

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on Nov 22, 2016 at 5:41am PST

Industry numbers are projecting approximately $75 million for the title across North America, over the U.S. Thanksgiving Holiday. The Animated Feature is about a young girl (Cravalho) and her journey with Demigod Maui (recent PEOPLE Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive honouree Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson) to becoming a master wayfinder. Along the way, she fulfills an ancient quest for her ancestors.  A true show of confidence from the “House of the Mouse” in its product is that it has topped its competitiors in spending on TV advertising up through this past Sunday according to Variety.

See the Trailer:

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Canada release MOANA Wednesday, November 23, 2016.

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Canada + Mr. Will want to take Readers to a 3D Advance Screening of MOANA. Screenings take place as follows:

RICHMOND HILL Thursday, November 10 7:00 PM SilverCity Richmond Hill

WHITBY Thursday, November 17 7:00 PM Landmark Whitby

MISSISSAUGA Thursday, November 17 7:00 PM Cineplex Cinemas Mississauga

VANCOUVER Thursday, November 10 7:00 PM SilverCity Metropolis

EDMONTON Thursday, November 17 7:30 PM South Edmonton

Synopsis:
Walt Disney Animation Studios’ new feature film “Moana” is about an adventurous teenager who, with help from demigod Maui, sails out on a daring mission to prove herself a master wayfinder and save her people.

Trailer:

Artwork:

To enter to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK and indicate your City.

MOANA is in theatres Wednesday, November 23, 2016.

(Photo/video credit: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Canada)

©2016 Disney

By Siobhán Rich for Mr. Will Wong

If you’re anything like me then you like to plan ahead. Luckily our friends at Walt Disney Studios feel the same way and have already mapped out what can only be described as an epic 2016. Whether you like animated animals, space operas in far away galaxies, comic book superheroes, or all of the above then Disney has just the Movie for you.

The year will kick off with The Finest Hours starring Chris Pine and Casey Affleck. This IMAX 3D adventure is based on the true story a daring Coast Guard rescue mission.

Jon Favreau helms the new remake of the 1967 animated classic The Jungle Book. Neel Sethi ‘s Mowgli is the only live action character in a CGI jungle populated with a voice cast that includes Bill Murray, Idris Elba, Ben Kingsley and Scarlett Johansson.

Johnny Depp fans will rejoice when he returns as the Mad Hatter in Alice Through the Looking Glass. Sacha Baron Cohen will join the Wonderland family as Time in this Tim Burton-produced Sequel.

Later in the year another remake will hit the screen: Pete’s Dragon starring Robert Redford and Bryce Dallas Howard.

July 1st will be more than simply Canada day in 2016 as it is also the day Steven Spielberg‘s The BFG will finally hit the big screen. Based on the beloved children’s classic by Roald Dahl this Movie is sure to be a hit with both kids and adults.

If superheroes are more your thing then you have probably been salivating for news about Captain America: Civil War. The new trailer is scheduled to play in theatres before Star Wars: The Force Awakens and is sure to electrify fans.

Benedict Cumberbatch will also be joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe in November as Doctor Strange.

December 2016 will bring a new Star Wars Movie: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story tells the tale of the rebels who stole the plans for the Death Star. The Movie takes place between the events in Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope.

Finally, nothing says Disney like animation. In June, Pixar will return to a familiar family of fish in Finding Dory.

November finds Disney in Hawaii for Moana, the story of a girl in search of a fabled island. Moana is helped along the way by a demi-god voiced by Dwayne Johnson. Broadway fans may be intrigued to hear that music by Lin-Manuel Miranda will be featured.

The biggest Canadian news from Disney Animation is Zootopia. Set in a world completely devoid of humans, Zootopia’s anthropomorphic residents live in a modern world where animals just happen to walk, talk, and dress like people. One of the inhabitants of this animal world is newscaster Peter Moosebridge voiced by the CBC’s own Peter Mansbridge.

With these must-see Movies on your radar 2016 is sure to be a movie-tastic year.