So, the total box office weekend domestically for the final weekend of 2023 is up slightly over 10% from last year (and up 20% from the end of the year, as of 2021). We are slowly moving away from the COVID shenanigans, even when you have several features like Migration and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom sinking compared to the rest of the show. (We have “just” reached $9 billion domestically for 2023, so it’ll take a bit more work to reach pre-pandemic numbers.)
But perhaps there’s an answer for this: folks still are rallying up in volume for other stars, and folks are embracing the other features on hand like Wonka, The Color Purple, The Iron Claw, and Ferrari. December has been a month for less conventional blockbusters and overseas ones, filling the gaps where the anticipated ones couldn’t pull through.
Wonka returned to the lead at the box office, earning $31.8 million domestically. It has earned a rousing $140 million domestically and $380 million globally. It’ll pass Meg 2: The Trench to become the highest-earning blockbuster since the Barbenheimer trend in the summer. Legs like Jumanji: The Next Level can surpass $600 million globally, but don’t hold your breath. I think folks at Warner Brothers are enthusiastic since they can roll the dice with other features and get one more hit to wrap up 2023. Has all been glorious on their road this year? No, but they get the marks for tying the knot on another recovery year for the box office.
On the other hand, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is in a dicey situation, as it is profiting off holiday legs, although the question of whether it can break even lingers. The underwater hero and his crew earned $19.5 million in their second weekend, putting them at $77.8 million domestically and $251 million worldwide. It isn’t crashing like a Star Trek: Nemesis, but it isn’t playing like a Hobbit prequel, so it is walking a fine line of descent towards an “optimistic” $400-425 million globally. Could it inflate towards half a billion dollars? Maybe, but next month will determine what seals the deal for the DCEU. Either way, it’s an underwhelming end for an underwhelming DC series in an underwhelming year for superheroes.
Migration took bronze on its second weekend, earning $17.2 million and surpassing $100 million worldwide. It has been making the most of the circumstances, so $175-200 million worldwide isn’t out of the question for another non-IP animated feature. Next year, we will have more luck banking on fourth installments of respected franchises such as Kung Fu Panda and Despicable Me. The Color Purple took in $13 million in its debut, passing $50 million domestically sometime tomorrow or Tuesday when 2024 kicks in. Positive reviews and all will need more for the $100-million budgeted adaptation, so overseas will need to kick up its game to turn a profit next year.
Anyone But You is playing firmly for a rom-com in the holiday season of 2023, earning $9 million in its second weekend. Since it’s budgeted closer to $25 million instead of $100 million, this has a chance to break even when the winter season fades out, so this could mark a win for Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell. Newcomer The Boys in the Boat nabbed almost $10 million in its first three days, allowing the sports drama to continue pulling more numbers toward its favor. The Iron Claw remained on par with its numbers from the weekend prior, attaining $5 million for its second weekend and another potential Oscar frontrunner on our hands.
Finally, Ferrari took in $4 million on its opening weekend, another sports drama that gives us another great feature to close off 2023.
Happy New Year to everyone, and next weekend (or year if we’re playing the joke), we will see the release of Night Swim, He Went That Way, and The Painter.
