New movies rarely roll out between Christmas and the second Friday in January, and so it is this year, with Jan. 10 (next weekend) serving up Oscar contenders and the first action pic of 2025.

But the holdover films in theaters are keeping the cineplexes busy.

“Mufasa,” the “Lion King” prequel, has been winning the weekday box office take ever since its holiday opening. But “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” had taken every three day weekend since its opening in late Dec.

That three week run is over, as the CGI animated “Mufasa” is on track to take the first moviegoing weekend of 2025 with a $24 million haul. “Sonic 3” may reach $21 million, based on Friday’s ticket sales.

“Sonic” is still $15-20 million ahead of Disney’s latest, closing in on a franchise-best $190 and almost sure to clear $200 million as is “Mufasa,” which is flirting with $170.

But again, the “news” as far as the box office goes, is about Robert Eggers’ “Nosferatu.” This old fashioned but gory, stately and production-designed-to-death scene-for-scene remake of a silent German vampyre film that ripped off Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” back in 1922 is on track to clear $13 million this weekend, closing in on $70 million, and seems almost certain to hit $100 million, especially if an Oscar nomination or two turns up. It should.

Those aren’t “It,” or going way back “Exorcist” numbers. But that’s a blockbuster by any standard, especially horror. The horror audience seemed to vanish for much of 2024. Give the fans a “classic,” with R-rated gore and a whiff of nudity, and they’ll show up.

“Moanu 2,” adding another $13 million to park it in fourth place. Or third, depending on Sat/Sunday. Neck and neck. It will have earned almost twice what “Mufasa” has, if “The Lion King” runs out of steam in mid January.

“Wicked” adds another $10 or so, and will be over the $450 million mark Sunday.

The Bob Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown,” the best film showing nationwide, won’t crack the top five this weekend, but an $8-8.5 million take, pushing it towards $50 million, is nothing to whine-on-key about. Oscar nominations should give this one legs.

They’re popping champagne corks over at Searchlight Films over that.

“Babygirl” is finding the going tougher, but will pull in over $4.5 million.

“Gladiator II” winds down its top ten run with another $2.5.

“Homestead” didn’t cost much, but I’m guessing another $1.9, still under $20 million all-in, is red ink.

“The Fire Inside” deserved more of an audience, but it will be lucky to earn $10 million in theaters ($1.2, $7 million all-in).

As always, I’ll update these figures as more data comes in Sunday.