Hollywood is hoping for a big weekend

Los Angeles Times

After weathering a lackluster fall, Hollywood is looking to lift itself out of the doldrums this holiday season in what could end up a record year in ticket sales.

The movie business is enjoying a satisfying run of recent hit films, including Marvel’s “Doctor Strange,” DreamWorks Animation’s “Trolls” and the Warner Bros. Harry Potter spinoff “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.”

Now the industry is hoping that momentum continues over the Thanksgiving holiday with a Disney cartoon featuring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as a tattooed Polynesian demigod. “Moana” could gross $75 million in the U.S. and Canada through Sunday after opening Tuesday night.

Combined with continued sales for “Fantastic Beasts” and new releases such as the Brad Pitt historical drama “Allied” and comedy “Bad Santa 2,” Hollywood could collect a solid $240 million this weekend, according to box-office firm ComScore.