Blue Ivy’s debut film, Mufasa: The Lion King, roared its way to box office success over the first weekend of 2025, crowning her as a rising star in Hollywood alongside her iconic parents, Jay-Z and Beyoncé.
The Disney prequel, directed by Barry Jenkins, claimed the top spot at the North American box office, pulling in over $150 million domestically. While the film didn’t match the opening-weekend figures of its predecessor, 2019’s reimagined The Lion King, it nonetheless secured its place among the highest earners of the year. Jenkins, who also directed the Oscar-winning Moonlight, voiced his excitement for casting Blue Ivy, aged 12, as Kiara, a lioness cub, in her first acting role.
Projections that Mufasa: The Lion King will earn $23.8 million from 3,925 theaters this weekend to finish at No. 1 for the second consecutive week. If the estimate holds, it will boost the film’s domestic take to $168.6 million through Sunday. With no major new releases this weekend, a batch of recent releases were battling Mufasa for the box office crown. The film’s closest competitor is Sonic the Hedgehog 3, which is projected according to Deadline to earn $21.2 million from 3,746 venues this weekend for a No. 2 finish. If the projection for the Paramount Pictures release holds, it will up the film’s running domestic tally to $187.5 million.