Wonka wins New Year’s box office Waltz for Aquaman 2 Bombs – The Hollywood Reporter

“Wonka”

Courtesy Everett Collection

Wonka wins the long New Year’s weekend box office race as a turbulent 2023 comes to a close.

Original Warner Bros. Pic — starring Timothée Chalamet as young candy maker Willy Wonka — is on track to gross $31.8 million over the four-day weekend, taking its domestic tally to $142.5 million through Monday. And it wasn’t the only Warners musical to hit the right tone. VioletThe film, produced by Oprah and Steven Spielberg, has done better-than-expected business since its Dec. 25 opening, finishing fourth on the New Year’s weekend chart with an estimated $17.7 million for the four days. The film’s estimated domestic gross as of Monday is $50 million.

Two weeks ago, box office experts weren’t sure whether domestic revenues could reach $9 billion after a tough fall season. But thanks in particular to mid-range and smaller films that performed higher over Christmas, revenues were able to surpass $9 billion in the post-pandemic period first. That represents a 20 percent increase over 2022. The problem: Revenues are still down 20 percent to 21 percent from 2019, the last year before the COVID-19 crisis.

Wonkawhich was released in mid-December, emerged as a box office winner this Christmas when Warners had its Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom It sank in its debut at the box office during the weekend of December 22–25 and failed to recover in a meaningful way despite remaining high on the chart. The DC superhero sequel is looking to take second place over the New Year’s weekend with an estimated Friday-Monday total of $26.3 million.

That would put Aquaman 2The film’s domestic tally through Monday was a lackluster $84.7 million — compared to the $215.4 million earned by the first. Aquaman During New Year’s Day during the year-end holidays in 2018. Both films were directed by James Wan and star Jason Momoa in the titular role.

After a slow start over the Christmas holiday, Illumination and Universal’s Immigration It held steady with an estimated domestic gross of $59.4 million through New Year’s Day after finishing third on the long weekend with a four-day total of $22.3 million. Its domestic total exceeds the $55 million earned over the 2022 year-end holidays Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, which topped with a solid $186.1 million domestically. Globally, Immigration He earned $100 million (he was weak abroad).

Violetfrom Warners and Amblin, got off to an impressive start on Christmas Day with $18 million, the second-best opening ever for a film released on December 25 and the best since 2009, not adjusted for inflation.

Wonka And Violet They seem to be reversing the musical curse as of late, and their success is good news for an upcoming Paramount film I mean girls And Universal’s 2024 Christmas event photo evil.

The troubled rom-com genre also got a boost with Sony’s exciting holiday entry Anyone but youwhich rounded out the top five with an estimated $11.5 million over the four days, raising its domestic tally to $27.6 million.

MGM and Amazon Directed by George Clooney Boys in the boat It followed at number six on the four-day holiday chart with $11 million for an estimated domestic total of $24.6 million through Monday.

A24 wrestling drama Iron claw It ranked seventh with an estimated $6.9 million for the four days. The Zac Efron-led pic, as of Monday, has $18.2 million.

Neon Ferrari It ranked eighth over the New Year’s weekend with an estimated $5.2 million for the four days for an early domestic tally of $12.1 million. Likes Violet And Boys in the boat, Ferrari Opened on Christmas Day.

More is coming.