In a relatively quiet pre-holiday frame at the box office, "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" emerged as the reigning champion, leading a pack of new releases during the weekend before Christmas Monday. The DC and Warner Bros. superhero sequel, spearheaded by the charismatic Jason Momoa in the titular role, made a splash with an estimated $28.1 million in its first three days of release across 3,706 theaters in North America, according to studio estimates. By Monday, the film is projected to amass around $40 million in domestic ticket sales.
Despite the arrival of various new offerings, including the family-friendly animated film "Migration," the R-rated romantic comedy "Anyone But You," the gripping wrestling tragedy "The Iron Claw," and the haunting tearjerker "All of Us Strangers," moviegoers seemingly had competing priorities that kept them away from the cinemas.
The unfortunate coincidence of Christmas Eve falling on a prime weekend day surely impacted box office earnings. However, history shows that this can be compensated to a certain extent when Christmas Day, known for attracting big crowds to theaters, rolls around. This year, several new films, such as the big-budget musical adaptation "The Color Purple," Michael Mann's adrenaline-pumping racing film "Ferrari," and George Clooney's poignant adaptation of the rowing drama "The Boys in the Boat," are set to join the holiday lineup. The traditionally lucrative period between Christmas and New Year's Day may provide a much-needed boost to theaters.
It is important to note that the weekend's box office numbers, while noteworthy, are relatively modest in comparison to some of the biggest holiday earners in history, including "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," "Avatar," and "Spider-Man: No Way Home." This particularly significant weekend also coincided with the intended release date of "Rogue Squadron," Patty Jenkins' highly anticipated Star Wars movie, leading to social media chatter about what could have been.
Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore, remarked on the unusual occurrence of having seven openers in just four days. He also highlighted the fact that "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" cost an estimated $200 million to produce, without accounting for marketing and promotion expenses. With an addition of approximately $80 million from international markets through Monday, the film is expected to debut globally at around $120 million. Its predecessor, "Aquaman," opened with $67.8 million in 2018 and ultimately amassed a staggering $1.2 billion globally. Dergarabedian further noted that the first film generated over 70% of its box office revenue from international markets.
This triumphant opening weekend for "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" marks the end of a challenging year for DC superhero films, characterized by underwhelming box office performances, including "Shazam! Fury of the Gods," "The Flash," and "Blue Beetle." As the studio transitions into a new era under James Gunn's direction, this sequel served as the final installment from the previous administration.
Notably, Warner Bros. also secured the second spot at the weekend box office with "Wonka" and will achieve a significant presence in the top five with one of the major Christmas openings, "The Color Purple." These films offer a varied selection, ensuring that Warner Bros. has something for every moviegoer during the holiday season, according to Jeff Goldstein, the studio's head of domestic distribution. With ample time between now and New Year's, audiences will have the opportunity to enjoy all three films.
In its second weekend, "Wonka" managed to earn an estimated $17.7 million, reaching a cumulative domestic total of $83.6 million, including earnings from Monday. Claiming third place, Illumination and Universal's PG-rated animated adventure "Migration" raked in an estimated $12.3 million from 3,761 locations in North America. It is expected to reach $17.1 million at the box office by the end of Monday. The film has also accumulated an estimated global total of $34.3 million, which may skyrocket due to increased attendance during the school holidays.
Looking ahead, there will be no direct competition until "Kung Fu Panda 4" hits theaters on March 8th, giving these films a substantial runway for success. The fifth-place spot was captured by the Telugu-language action film "Salaar: Part 1—Ceasefire," which amassed an impressive $5.5 million from only 802 theaters. The top ten also featured another Indian film, the Hindi-language "Dunki," with earnings of $2.7 million from 686 locations. Additionally, two Japanese films, "Godzilla Minus One" and "The Boy and the Heron," rounded out the list.
The romantic comedy "Anyone But You," starring Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney, managed to secure a fourth-place debut, attracting a predominantly female audience. The film garnered an estimated $6.2 million over its first three days, with projected earnings of nearly $9 million by the end of Monday. While the movie, loosely inspired by "Much Ado About Nothing," received mixed reviews from critics, audiences bestowed it with a B+ CinemaScore, signaling a positive response.
A24's "The Iron Claw," which narrates the heart-wrenching tale of the tragedy-stricken Von Erich wrestling family, debuted on 2,774 screens, bolstered by favorable reviews for Zac Efron's transformative lead performance. The studio projects earnings of $5.1 million for its three-day release, which should climb to $7.5 million by the end of Monday. Audiences rewarded the film with an A- CinemaScore, the highest ever achieved by A24, known for producing thought-provoking and unconventional cinema. Additionally, A24 also brought Jonathan Glazer's "The Zone of Interest" to six screens, where it grossed $89,931 over the weekend.
Meanwhile, Searchlight Pictures' "All of Us Strangers," featuring standout performances by Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal, opened in New York and Los Angeles on a limited release and boasted an impressive average of $33,034 per theater. Another Searchlight Pictures release, Yorgos Lanthimos' gothic black comedy "Poor Things," expanded to 800 theaters, earning $2.1 million.
Irrespective of whether the box office attains a final tally near or beyond $9 billion for the year, it is undeniable that now is a thrilling time to be a moviegoer. Dergarabedian concludes that the top ten movies present a remarkable assortment that caters to every cinematic taste and interest.