BoxOfficePro forecasts $50 million to $70 million five-day Thanksgiving debut for Disney's Hexed

Hexed is an original Disney animation, not a sequel. Fawn Veerasunthorn and Jason Hand directed it, and the voice cast includes Hailee Steinfeld, Rashida Jones, Jodie Foster and Walton Goggins, Koimoi reported. The story follows Billie, a teenage girl expelled from school who discovers magical abilities and is pulled into a place called Hexe.

BoxOfficePro's forecast, reported by LaughingPlace, puts the three-day domestic opening at $35 million to $45 million and the five-day Thanksgiving total at $50 million to $70 million. Koimoi also reported those ranges, describing them as early estimates and speculation with weeks left before release.

Where the tracking lands

On the five-day measure, the top end of $70 million would leave Hexed $12.1 million below the fifth-biggest Thanksgiving debut. HighOnFilms ranks Moana fifth at $82.1 million. The three-day forecast of $35 million to $45 million is below Coco's $50.8 million three-day opening in 2017; Coco took $72.9 million over the five-day frame.

The same ranking puts Moana 2 first at $225.1 million, Zootopia 2 second at $158 million, Frozen third at $93.6 million, Ralph Breaks the Internet fourth at $84.5 million and Moana fifth at $82.1 million. Hexed's projected range does not reach any of those totals. HighOnFilms said Moana 2's five-day total beat The Super Mario Bros. Movie's $204.6 million as the biggest five-day opening of any film.

The site counts domestic US and Canada grosses for the five-day Wednesday-to-Sunday frame, unadjusted for inflation. Only films that opened over the holiday qualify. Films that debuted the weekend before, such as Frozen II and Wicked, are covered separately. The site said the five days from the Wednesday before Thanksgiving through Sunday are among the most lucrative on the American theatrical calendar.

Nine of the ten biggest Thanksgiving openings are Disney or Pixar animated features, the ranking shows. The exception is Creed II, a live-action boxing film at $55.8 million; it is the only live-action title on the list and the only one not made by Disney.

LaughingPlace said the projection would be the strongest opening for an original Walt Disney Animation film since Moana, which took more than $56 million over three days and more than $82 million over the holiday. The outlet described recent originals Encanto, Strange World and Wish as having failed at the box office, with Encanto doing best at $40.5 million over the five-day holiday.

What happens next

LaughingPlace reported that BoxOfficePro's numbers are long-term projections and could rise as release approaches and interest builds. The film opens in many other countries between 25 and 27 November. Tickets are on sale now.