New Year’s Box Office Results: Wonka Leads the Charge

Wonka reclaimed its spot atop the box office charts in the last weekend of 2023, posting a $22.7 million 3-day/$30M 4-day to raise its domestic total to $140.6M after three weeks. Per Deadline, the musical prequel is about 6% ahead of Mary Poppins Returns but about 6% behind Tim Burton’s Charlie and Chocolate Factory, which ended its run with $206.4M. Worldwide, Wonka sits at $384.8M.

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom came in at No. 2 with $18.25 million (-34%), bringing its total to $84.67M. The James Wan pic is projected to reach $150M domestically, which beats The Flash’s abysmal $108.1M take. Internationally, the Jason Momoa superhero adventure dipped just 33% for a $50.5M take, $173.6M total. Aquaman has earned $258.3M worldwide and is just $10M away from overtaking The Flash’s $266M worldwide take. Will the big guy swim past Shazam! ($363M) and Black Adam ($390M) to become DC’s seventh-best performer?

Elsewhere, Universal’s animated comedy Migration jumped 37% for a nice $17M/$22M in its sophomore frame, bringing its domestic total to $59.1M. Globally, it has swooped to $100.8M. Meanwhile, The Color Purple collected $11.7M/$15M, performing 74% ahead of The Greatest Showman in the same time frame. Word of mouth should help push this one to solid numbers over the next few months.

Other notable pictures include Sony’s Anyone But You ($8.4M/$11M), George Clooney’s Boys in the Boat ($8.4M/$11.2M), A24’s The Iron Claw ($5M/$6.9M), and Michael Mann’s Ferrari ($4.06M/$5.2M). Mann’s biopic has only accrued $12.07M thus far, which is surprising given his pedigree.

The first weekend of January sees the release of Atomic Monster and Blumhouse’s Night Swim in the same frame that propelled M3GAN to solid numbers last year. Will history repeat itself?

Box Office Results: Domestic Top 10

1.) Wonka (WB) 4,115 (-98) theaters, Fri $8.7M (+33%) Sat $8.7M Sun $5.3M 3-day $22.7M (+26%), 4-day $30M/Total $140.6M/Wk 3

2.) Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (WB) 3,787 (+81) theaters, Fri $6.75M Sat $7.5M Sun $4M 3-day $18.25M (-34%), 4-day $26.3M/Total $84.67M/Wk 2

3.) Migration (Ill/Uni) 3,839 (+78) theaters, Fri $6.7M (+17%) Sat $6.3M Sun $3.88M Mon $4.99M 3-day $17M (+37%), 4-day $22M, Total $59.1M/ Wk 2

4.) The Color Purple (WB) 3,203 theaters, Fri $4.1M, Sat $5.2M Sun $2.4M 3-day $11.7M, 4-day $15M/ Total $47.3M/Wk 1

5.) Anyone But You (Sony) 3,055 theaters, Fri $3.3M (-3%) Sat $3.7M Sun $1.76M Mon $2.25M 3-day $8.4M (+40%), 4-day $11M, Total $27M/Wk 2

6.) Boys in the Boat (AMZ MGM) 2,557 theaters, Fri $2.7M Sat $3.09M Sun $2.55M Mon $2.8M 3-day $8.4M, 4-day $11.2M, Total $24.8M, Wk 1

7.) The Iron Claw (A24) 2,794 (+20) theaters, Fri $1.74M (-30%) Sat $1.9M Sun $1.4M 3-day $5M (+4%) 4-day $6.9M/Total $18.2M/Wk 2

8.) Ferrari (Neon) 2,386 theaters, Fri $1.38M Sat $1.53M Sun $1.15M 3-day $4.06M 4-day $5.2M Total $12.07M/Wk 2

9.) The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (LG) 1,660 (-849) theaters Fri $1.1M (-8%) Sat $1.15M Sun $630K 3-day $2.88M (-4%) 4-day $3.67M Total $160.6M/Wk 7

10.) The Boy and the Heron (Gkids) 940 theaters Fri $864K Sat $945K Sun $695K 3-day $2.5M (-9%) 4-day $3.35M Total $36.8M/Wk 4

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