The holiday movie season this year is packed with many options, much like other years have displayed. However, despite the bevy of titles, including Wonka, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, The Color Purple, Migration, Anyone But You and The Iron Claw, they weren’t enough to garner interest in audiences to flock to theaters around Christmastime. Without the year’s biggest double-feature event with Barbie and Oppenheimer, it could have been a worse showing for theaters as even the reliable blockbusters like the Mission: Impossible, Superhero, and Fast & Furious franchises would flop. It’s almost fitting that 2023 ends with a whimper.
Deadline has recently reported on the lackluster continued performance of the box office this week. Wonka stays on top as it is revealed, “On Wednesday, it was Warner Bros.’ Wonka that won the day with $8 million at 4,213 theaters, moving its running cume to $102.5M on its 13th day (that’s 3% behind Disney’s 2018 musical Mary Poppins Returns at the same point in time, which ended its stateside run at $171.9M).” The figures come just below Tuesday’s numbers, which raised $8.9 million. The Candy Man’s movie also recently had the honor of having the second lowest earnings for a number 1 movie after Christmas since the year 2000.
According to Deadline, “In second place Wednesday was Illumination/Universal’s Migration with $6.26M (-4% from Tuesday) at 3,761 theaters and a $30.6M running total, followed by Warner Bros/DC’s Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom in third at 3,706 theaters with $5.9M (-29%) and a $52.4M cume.” Although Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom hasn’t lived up to its predecessor’s numbers, it will still best another DC sequel from this year as it is on pace to make more than Shazam! Fury of the Gods, which totaled out with $57.6 million. It’s also projected to make around the same amount as The Marvels, which concluded its run with $84.4 million.
Additionally, another Warner release, The Color Purple, had a drop in viewership as Deadline stated, “Warner Bros’ musical The Color Purple, which was brilliant out of the gate on Christmas Day with an $18.15M gross, boosted by group sales, continues to fall, with Wednesday down 45% from Tuesday to $3.9M at 3,152. Running total through three days stands at $29M.”