411 Box Office Report: Wonka Returns To #1 For Final Weekend Of 2023

It was a Warner Bros. win at the box office for the third straight weekend as Wonka returned to the top spot. The Timothee Chalamet-led prequel claimed #1 again after falling to #2 last week, bringing in $24 million over the three-day frame. That’s a rise of 33% from last weekend’s three-day numbers, a testament to how the post-Christmas week is a box office bonanza.

Wonka has been a much-needed hit to close out the year, with $134.6 million domestically and $379 million worldwide against a budget of $125 million. The film has already grossed 3.45 times its opening weekend numbers, another example of how musicals can deliver big to close out the year (see also: 2021’s animated Sing 2, 2017’s The Greatest Showman and 2018’s Mary Poppins Returns). Wonka will slow down a bit from here but should be able to top $170 million without issue. It’s a big hit for the studio and another feather in Chalamet’s cap.

Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom got a much-needed hold this weekend as expected. The DCEU-closing superhero sequel grossed $19.5 million, down 30% from last week’s three-day numbers. While that’s a strong hold out of context, it’s the biggest drop in the top 10 and weaker than the original Aquaman which fell just 23% in its second weekend which was the final weekend of 2018.

Lost Kingdom is still looking to lose plenty of money, but like Wonka and every other film at the box office it is benefitting from the holidays. The film has totaled $77.8 million domestically and $251.4 million worldwide, which sounds great except for the fact that it cost $205 million. The film should close out domestically around $120 million or so, which will at least be an improvement over The Flash though that’s nothing to brag about.

Illumination and Universal’s Migration was up 38% from last weekend with $17.2 million. The animated comedy is now at $54.3 million domestically and $100.8 million, and still has a ways to go to make back its $72 million budget. It’s still very doable for the film to make a bit of profit for the studios if it continues to hold on well. If it continues to follow the current trajectory it should make it to $100 million, good enough to be considered a mild success.

Warner Bros. charted a third film in the top four as The Color Purple came in at #4 with $13 million. The musical readaptation of the classic novel now has $45.3 million, a respectable enough number, since it opened on Christmas Day.

Color Purple came into the weekend with strong momentum, having earned strong reviews (an 86% aggregated score on Rotten Tomatoes) and great word of mouth between its A CinemaScore and 95% RT audience average. That paid off nicely, and some awards season love should help it in successive weeks. That said, it will have to stretch to make a profit as it cost a reported $90 million and had an expensive marketing campaign. The film should be able to break $100 million domestically and will need to bring in some overseas cash to make it a hit.

Romantic comedy Anyone But You had a strong second weekend with $9 million, up 50% from last weekend’s three-day take. That’s the best jump in the top 10, which bodes well for the film’s hopes. Romcoms can struggle at the box office these days, but the Glen Powell and Sidney Sweeney flick is showing that if you bring something the target audience wants, they will check it out. The film has $25.1 million domestically and $30.9 million worldwide thus far against a $25 million budget, and should make it to $45 million with more international grosses coming in to make it a money maker.

George Clooney’s latest film was a little lost in the shuffle as The Boys In the Boat brought in $8.3 million. The sports drama about the University of Washington rowing crew opened about where it was expected to, and has $21.9 million since opening on Christmas Day.

Boys In the Boat was always going to be a somewhat hard sell. It’s a more low-key period drama about a rowing team without any A-list stars in it. Add in the fact that critics were lukewarm on it (a 58% RT aggregated score) and you had a film without much buzz. Fortunately the word of mouth has been strong with a 96% RT audience score and an A CinemaScore, which will help the film in successive weeks. It should make it to around $45 million domestically and will need overseas money to make back its $40 million budget.

The Iron Claw added $5 million to its coffers, up 4% from last weekend. The Von Erich family biopic now has $16.4 million against a $16 million budget and is looking to make its way to a minor profit with probably around $28 million or so domestically. It hasn’t begun rolling out internationally yet.

Michael Mann’s Ferrari did not open well, with just $4.1 million. That brings the film to $10.9 million stateside and $13.5 million worldwide since opening on Christmas. The Adam Driver-starring biopic has failed to catch fire thus far, with an okay 73% RT average but iffy word of mouth (a 71% RT audience score and a B CinemaScore).

Ferrari is likely to be biggest bomb of the holiday season, as it cost a reported $95 million with little chance of making that back. It’s getting overshadowed by the crowded slate of competition and seems likely to finish at around $25 million or so in the US.

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes was down 5% this weekend to $2.9 million. The prequel has now grossed $160 million domestically and $322 million worldwide, a tidy profit for Lionsgate against a $100 million budget. It is likely to end its run at $170 million.

Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy And The Heron closed out the top 10 with $2.5 million, down 10% in its fourth weekend. The Hayao Miyazaki film has brought in $36 million in the US and $130.5 million worldwide, a big hit for Studio Ghibli and GKIDS. The domestic finish line will be around $40 million.

Next weekend will likely see a new #1 as Universal & Blumhouse’s poolside horror film Night Swim is targeting around $20 million.

BOX OFFICE TOP TEN (Three-Day Domestic Numbers)
1. Wonka – $24 million ($134.6 million total, $379 million WW)
2. Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom – $19.5 million ($77.8 million total, $251.4 million WW)
3. Migration – $17.2 million ($54.3 million total, $100.8 million WW)
4. The Color Purple – $13 million ($45.3 million total, $45.3 million WW)
5. Anyone But You – $9 million ($25.1 million total, $30.9 million WW)
6. The Boys In the Boat – $8.3 million ($21.9 million total, $21.9 million WW)
7. The Iron Claw – $5 million ($16.4 million total, $16.4 million WW)
8. Ferrari – $4.1 million ($10.9 million total, $13.5 million WW)
9. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes – $2.9 million ($160 million total, $322 million WW)
10. The Boy and the Heron – $2.5 million ($36 million total, $130.5 million WW)