In a delightful conclusion to the year, the musical fantasy film “Wonka” starring Timothée Chalamet as a youthful Willy Wonka claimed victory at the New Year’s box office, securing its spot as the biggest hit of the holiday season. The Warner Bros. release grossed an impressive $22.7 million over the weekend, with a projected $29.5 million for the four-day holiday period. The film’s domestic earnings now stand at a robust $140.2 million, surpassing its $125 million production budget. Globally, “Wonka” is enchanting audiences and has amassed around $400 million.
Meanwhile, “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” struggled to stay afloat, earning $18.3 million over the weekend and $23.5 million for the extended holiday frame. The superhero adventure’s domestic earnings have reached a less-than-legendary $81.8 million, significantly lower than its predecessor. Despite mitigating some of the financial setbacks with over $250 million globally, the film’s costly production and marketing expenses may pose challenges in turning a profit. This outcome marks the end of the DC Extended Universe, prompting a reboot by newly appointed DC chiefs James Gunn and Peter Safran.
In third place, Universal and Illumination’s “Migration” earned $17 million over the weekend and an estimated $22 million over the four-day holiday, bringing its domestic total to $59.1 million. Although not reaching the heights of previous Illumination hits, the film, with a budget of approximately $70 million, hopes to maintain momentum post-holidays, especially among the younger audience.
“The Color Purple,” a musical adaptation of Alice Walker’s classic novel, secured the fourth spot, grossing $11.7 million over the weekend and an anticipated $14.8 million for the holiday frame. With a current domestic total of $47.1 million, the film has garnered critical acclaim and aims to be a strong contender in the upcoming awards season. On the other hand, “Anyone But You,” a romantic comedy featuring Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney, earned $8.7 million over the weekend, projected to reach $11 million for the holiday period, resulting in a domestic total of $27.1 million. Despite lacking critical support, the film’s modest $25 million budget softens the impact of its less-than-stellar box office performance.
In summary, the 2023 domestic box office soared past $9 billion, as reported by ComScore, marking an improvement from the previous year’s total ticket sales of $7.4 billion. However, the industry is still on the path to recovery post-pandemic, yet to fully regain its pre-COVID stride, as evidenced by the trailing numbers compared to the $11.4 billion in revenue from 2019.
