‘Aquaman and the Last Kingdom’ finds lump of coal in box office opening – The Hollywood Reporter
Jason Momoa in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures/DC Comics
DC James Wan Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom It’s headed toward one of the lowest starts in the history of the DC Cinematic Universe with an expected four-day Christmas weekend gross in the $40 million to $45 million range. The good news: It can still take first place and is a little better than what leading tracking services expected.
The film grossed an estimated $13.7 million on Friday from 3,706 theaters, including $4.5 million in Thursday previews. Hollywood studios are never happy when Christmas Day falls on a Monday, as the weekend box office has to compete with final Christmas preparations, including travel and gift buying.
but, Aquaman 2 He has bigger issues than just that. The big-budget tentpole, which re-teams Wan and star Jason Momoa, was largely panned by critics and only received a B CinemaScore from audiences. The sequel, which has had a turbulent road to the big screen, marks the end of an era as new DC bosses James Gunn and Peter Safran reboot the DC Universe in 2025. Superman: Legacy. (Momoa himself has said he won’t be there Aquaman Threqul.)
In 2018, the first Aquaman It was the king of the year-end holiday when it swam to a three-day opening of $67.9 million over the weekend of December 21-23. Through Christmas Day – a Tuesday of that year – its domestic tally reached $105.4 million (including several million from special sneak peeks the previous weekend). The film went on to earn $335.1 million domestically and $1.15 billion worldwide, the best showing ever for a DCEU title, not adjusted for inflation.
Wan’s film lends more credence to the theory of superhero fatigue. Even the most ardent fans get weary. Aquaman 2 It also trails the recent box office disaster opening of $46.1 million WondersFrom competing Marvel Studios.
A large number of other films opened on Friday. Warners has no fewer than three films for its year-end holiday events – Aquaman, Wonkawhich opened last weekend, and Violet – A bold action (to boot, two musicals).
And in another test of the appetite for theatrical animation, especially original stories, Illumination and Universal are contributing Immigration To the holiday mix for families.
The family pic, which earned a CinemaScore award, is expected to earn $13 million for the weekend from 3,761 theaters and $18 million for the four days, also ahead of what some tracking services expected.
Final ruling for Immigration They will not be served until New Year’s weekend. There is no more profitable period of the movie-watching year than the week between Christmas and New Year’s.
Immigration He will come in at No. 3 behind Aquaman And WonkaThe Timothée Chalamet star is expected to make a total of $30 million over the four days.
Columbia/Sony Thriller romantic comedy Anyone but you It finished fourth with an estimated $9 million from 3,055 theaters for a four-day run. The pic, starring Sidney Sweeney and Glen Powell, received a B+ CinemaScore. (No studio likes anything other than some A-grade variation of most movies.)
Females accounted for 67 percent of Friday’s ticket buyers, while males accounted for 66 percent of the Zac Efron-led wrestling family drama on A24. Iron clawAnother title for a Christmas marquee movie. Iron claw He’s on pace to open with $8 million, and he’s also the head of the tracking department.
Estimates could change by Sunday morning.
More is coming.
