Hollywood closed out the weekend with a stellar return to the top of the box office list for the Timothée Chalamet-led musical adaptation of Wonka.
The film, based on Roald Dahl‘s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, took in an estimated $24 million Friday through Sunday and $31.8 million factoring in estimates for the Monday holiday. That brings the film’s domestic total to $142.5 million.
The current grosses for the film about a young Willy Wonka cover the $125 million budget.
That was enough to best the Jason Momoa-led Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, which took in $19.5 million on its second weekend of release, bringing its total box office so far to $84.7 million.
The much-talked-about Oprah Winfrey-produced musical remake of The Color Purple, which should have a strong showing during awards season, brought in $13 million from Friday through Sunday.
Hollywood closed out the weekend with a stellar return to the top of the box office list for the Timothée Chalamet -led musical adaptation of Wonka
The film, based on Roald Dahl ‘s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, took in an estimated $24 million Friday through Sunday and $31.8 million factoring in estimates for the Monday holiday. That brings the film’s domestic total to $142.5 million
Overall, the 2023 box office brought in $9 billion dollars, which is better than 2022’s year-end figures but $2 billion short of pre-pandemic levels.
Ticket sales on the year were up 21% from 2022, according to data firm Comscore.
But that figure was well within reach after the exceptional, record-setting weekend this summer that saw Barbie debut to $162 million and Oppenheimer bring in $82.4 million.
New Years weekend didn’t have a blockbuster release like last year’s Avatar: The Way of Water, but it did offer audiences a wider array of subject matter to view.
In addition to the musicals Wonka and The Color Purple and the franchise Aquaman film, theaters also ran Oscar-hopeful The Boys in the Boat, the animated Migration, Ferrari, The Iron Claw and the much buzzed about Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell rom com Anyone But You.
The enormous success of Barbie and Oppenheimer changed the trajectory of Hollywood’s 2023 totals, however, the months long writers and actors strikes also had a big effect on 2023’a totals and the movies available to see.
During the strikes actors and writers were not allowed to promote their films, leading to a downturn in interest.
The strikes also postponed a number of films that were due to premiere in the lucrative box office and awards buzz time between Thanksgiving and the New Year, notably Dune: Part Two starring Austin Butler.
Though Wonka claimed the box office crown this weekend, Universal’s Migration held its own with $17.2 million and the George Clooney-directed The Boys in the Boat brought in $24.6 million since it’s Christmas Day opening.
Sony Pictures’ attempt to revive interest in romantic comedies with Anyone But You, fared well for its genre with $9 million in its second weekend of release, for a total of $27.6 million.
The wrestling drama The Iron Claw, starring Zac Efron and Jeremy Allen White, grossed $18 million since its December 22 release.
Ferrari, from lauded director Michael Mann, has brought in $10.9 million since its December 25 release, which does not bode well for indie distributor Neon making back the close to $100 million it cost to make. The film stars Adam Driver and Mann has spent three decades trying to get the movie made.
The current grosses for the film about a young Willy Wonka cover the $125 million budget
Earlier this week, it was revealed that Timothee did attend the Kardashians star-studded Christmas party
The film tells the story of a young Willy Wonka when he was trying to get his chocolate business off the ground
He faces stiff competition from the old school chocolatiers who seek to derail him at every turn
This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Taraji P. Henson, from left, Fantasia Barrino and Danielle Brooks in a scene from ‘The Color Purple.’ (Warner Bros. Pictures via AP)
The last minute addition of Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour concert movie, which brought in $178.2 million domestically, helped the box office reach its $9 billion total.
The box office reached the $9 billion mark on December 30, with one day to spare. Prior to the pandemic, yearly totals regularly reached $11 billion and beyond.
‘This crop of seven wide releases at the end of the year, they got us over the hump of $9 billion,’ Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for data firm Comscore, said.
‘This final push of the year provided great insight into what audiences are looking for. It’s movies big and small. It’s different types of movies.’