Current:Home > Stocks‘Wonka’ is No. 1 at the box office again as 2024 gets off to a slower start-InfoLens
‘Wonka’ is No. 1 at the box office again as 2024 gets off to a slower start
View Date:2024-12-23 12:05:38
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Timothée Chalamet and “Wonka” topped the box office charts for the third time in its four weekends in theaters. Warner Bros.’ family-oriented musical added $14.4 million in ticket sales according to studio estimates Sunday, bringing its total domestic grosses to $164.7 million.
“’Wonka’ is following in the tradition of a film like ‘The Greatest Showman,’” said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore. That Hugh Jackman musical opened under $9 million in December 2017 and went on to gross $435 million globally.
“’Wonka’ is a perfect crowd pleaser released at the perfect time and it’s going to ride that wave into January,” Dergarabedian said. “It’s an opportune time for it to be in the marketplace.”
After finishing 2023 on a high note, 2024 is getting off to a slower start than last year, down around 16%, with the Universal/Blumhouse horror “Night Swim” as the only major new offering in theaters. The movie stars Wyatt Russell and Kerry Condon as a couple with a sinister, supernatural swimming pool.
“Night Swim” drew in an estimated $12 million in its first weekend in 3,250 theaters in North America against a reported $15 million production budget. Including international showings in 36 markets, “Night Swim” is heading towards a $17.7 million global debut.
“Not only did it perform really well at the box office, but it’s going to make us look at every swimming pool with a little more trepidation,” said Jim Orr, Universal’s head of domestic distribution.
Horror movies are largely critic-proof, but with fairly negative reviews and a C CinemaScore rating, it’s unlikely to repeat the viral success of last year’s demon doll movie “M3GAN.”
“We don’t have ‘Avatar: The Way of Water,’ which totally dominated the box office a year ago, or ‘M3GAN,’ which made that a bigger weekend,” said Dergarabedian. “But it’s a bit early to call it in terms of how the year is going to turn out.”
Warner Bros. and Universal placed third and fourth on the charts as well. Warner Bros.’ DC superhero movie “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” earned $10.6 million in its third weekend, bumping its domestic tally just over the $100 million mark. Universal’s animated “Migration” added $10.3 million, bringing its running domestic total to $77.8 million.
Sony’s Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney romantic comedy “Anyone But You” landed in fifth place with $9.5 million, up 9% from last weekend. The movie has grossed $43.7 million to date.
Cineplexes are full of awards contenders, including “The Color Purple,” “The Iron Claw” and “Poor Things,” and the Golden Globes broadcast Sunday night might help spread awareness for those and other films.
“The Golden Globes are like a three-hour infomercial for the industry,” Dergarabedian said. “There’s no downside to having a very high profile telecast that puts a spotlight on the movies.”
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1. “Wonka,” $14.4 million.
2. “Night Swim,” $12 million.
3. “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom,” $10.6 million.
4. “Migration,” $10.3 million.
5. “Anyone But You,” $9.5 million.
6. “The Boys in the Boat,” $6 million.
7. “The Color Purple,” $4.8 million.
8. “The Iron Claw,” $4.5 million.
9. “Ferrari,” $2.5 million.
10. “Poor Things,” $2 million.
veryGood! (14186)
Related
- MLS Star Marco Angulo Dead at 22 One Month After Car Crash
- Elizabeth Hurley Addresses Rumor She Took Prince Harry's Virginity
- Lawyer for sex abuse victims says warning others about chaplain didn’t violate secrecy order
- 'Parasyte: The Grey': Premiere date, cast, where to watch creepy new zombie K-Drama
- What is prize money for NBA Cup in-season tournament? Players get boost in 2024
- Trump Media sues Truth Social founders Andrew Litinsky, Wes Moss for 'reckless' decisions
- Hot Topic shoppers' personal information accessed in 2023 data breach, company announces
- 'Parasyte: The Grey': Premiere date, cast, where to watch creepy new zombie K-Drama
- 2 Florida women charged after shooting death of photographer is livestreamed
- Lawyer for sex abuse victims says warning others about chaplain didn’t violate secrecy order
Ranking
- Olympic Skier Lindsey Vonn Coming Out of Retirement at 40
- Rangers-Devils game starts with wild line brawl, eight ejections and a Matt Rempe fight
- Mike Tyson says he's 'scared to death' ahead of fight vs. Jake Paul
- New rule strengthening federal job protections could counter Trump promises to remake the government
- New Mexico secretary of state says she’s experiencing harassment after the election
- Video shows Savannah Graziano shot by San Bernardino County sheriff's deputies
- North Carolina lawsuits challenging same-day registration change can proceed, judge says
- The Best Tinted Sunscreens for All Skin Types, Get a Boost of Color & Protect Your Skin All at Once
Recommendation
-
Judge set to rule on whether to scrap Trump’s conviction in hush money case
-
Katie Holmes, Jim Parsons and Zoey Deutch to star in 'Our Town' Broadway revival
-
Officer hired as sheriff’s deputy despite involvement in fatal Manuel Ellis arrest resigns
-
Owner of Baffert-trained Muth sues Churchill Downs seeking to allow horse to run in Kentucky Derby
-
Inspector general finds no fault in Park Police shooting of Virginia man in 2017
-
The teaching of Hmong and Asian American histories to be required in Wisconsin under a new law
-
Russia: US shares blame in a concert hall attack claimed by Islamic militants
-
Horoscopes Today, April 2, 2024