Post-holiday box office underwhelms with Wonka beating Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom with low Tuesday numbers

Just like when the tryptophan takes over after a big turkey dinner, the post-holiday box office activity is at a resting pace. On the surface, Warner Bros had an ideal situation with three different big-budget releases that appeal to multiple demographics. The legacy studio exhibited a packed holiday slate with Wonka having a pre-Christmas release, but showcased continued strength for bringing families and those nostalgic for the property, as well as Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom finally getting its debut after delays and being the big action, special effects option for Christmas, and The Color Purple looking to bring in the musical and drama crowd. However, despite the three big studio titles plus some smaller alternatives, this year’s movie-going crowd didn’t set the box office on fire.

The Christmas week continues with Wonka coming out on top with a low $8.9 million on Tuesday. These numbers give the Paul King-Timothée Chalamet family film the honor of having the second lowest earnings for a number 1 movie after Christmas since the year 2000. It would beat out Warner Bros’ Wonder Woman 1984, which would only pull in $5.8 million after simultaneously premiering on HBO Max during the height of the Covid pandemic while most theaters were closed or had limited showtimes.

According to Deadline, the final DCEU film, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom “fell to the No. 2 spot with $8.3M (-21% from Christmas) yesterday at 3,706 theaters.” This was “after leading the weekend with a 4-day of $38.3M.” Additionally, reports say, “Warner Bros.’ The Color Purple, which has completely revived the movie musical in a God-awful marketplace, saw $7M at 3,152, -61% from Christmas Day’s $18.15M. Note that the musical’s first day gross was boosted by a group sales program that the studio executed.” Deadline adds, “Wonka will likely cross the $100M domestic mark today at 4,213 theaters, while Aquaman 2 rises to $46.6M at 3,706 and the 2x Golden Globe-nominated Color Purple sees $25.1M.”

The animated alternative from Universal and Illumination, Migration, saw “$6.5M, +22% from Christmas’ $5.5M putting its running total through five days at $24.3M.” George Clooney’s Amazon-MGM release, The Boys in the Boat, would row to “$3M on Tuesday, -47% from Christmas for a 2-day of $8.7M in 5th place for the day.” Sony’s rom-com Anyone But You came in with “$2.6M (+28% from Christmas’ $2M) and a running total over five days of $10.7M at 3,055 locations.” A24’s The Iron Claw and Michael Mann’s Ferrari brought up the back, with the wrestling biopic coming in 7th with “$1.7M, -12% from Christmas, at 2,774 and a running total of $8.5M“ and the car biopic crossing the finish line at “$1.5M, -47% from Christmas and previews of $2.85M for a $4.4M running total.”