In one of the more unusual duels at the North American box office, a perky Disney romantic musical trumped the fifth installment in the grisly “Saw” horror series. “High School Musical 3: Senior Year,” the first big-screen adaptation of Walt Disney Co’s popular TV movie franchise, sold $42 million worth of tickets during its first three days. The opening set a new record for a musical, surpassing the $27.8 million bow of the ABBA-themed romance Mamma Mia!.
High School Musical 3: Senior Year
Disney was enjoying a strong fall, first with Beverly Hills Chihuahua and then with High School Musical 3. The movie also opened in 19 international markets and hit No. 1 in each of them, led by Britain with $13 million.
Box Office Recap
#1 High School Musical 3: $41.5M (Disney).
#2 Saw V: $30M (Lionsgate).
#3 Max Payne: $7.5M (Fox).
#4 Beverly Hills Chihuahua: $6.9M (Disney).
Update March 2026: Since his HSM 3 days, Zac Efron has moved past the teen idol label and become a dramatic actor with real staying power. His turn in the 2023 A24 drama The Iron Claw was a high point, followed by hits like Ricky Stanicky and A Family Affair in 2024. As of 2026, he is still headlining for A24 in the thriller Famous, where he plays a dual role as a movie star and his obsessed fan.
