NEW YORK.- Wonka debuted grossing $39 million in theaters in the United States and Canada this weekend, according to estimates released on Sunday, which revealed the power of attraction of the young actor Timothée Chalamet.
Musicals have not been very popular in theaters in recent years, so much so that Warner Bros. downplayed the musical aspect of Wonka in the forecasts and focused on Chalamet, the 27-year-old actor who scores his second film at the top of the box office. The previous one was Dune in 2021 which premiered raising $41 million.
Wonkawhich cost $125 million to produce and was shown in 4,203 theaters, is also the first major Hollywood film following the end of the SAG-AFTRA strike.
Directed by Paul King, Wonka It is a prequel to Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971) and has Chalamet as a young Wonka trying to open a candy store. It also stars Hugh Grant, Olivia Colman and Keegan-Michael Key.
The last time Warner Bros. covered Roald Dahl’s classic was in 2005 with Charlie and the Chocolate Factorywhich starred Johnny Depp and debuted with $56.2 million, eventually grossing $475 million globally.
To reach these figures, it will have to do well for Wonka in the lucrative holiday season. It has had good reviews (84% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes) and a positive reaction from the audience (A- on CinemaScore).
The only other big premiere was Christmas With the Chosen: Holy Night, from Angel Studios, a company dedicated to films with Christian themes. It grossed $2.9 million in 2,094 theaters.
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes again came second by grossing $5.8 million in its fifth week. The prequel to Hunger Games made by Lionsgate has 145.2 million domestically and more than 300 million globally.
Third place was The Boy and the Heronby Hayao Miyazaki, in its second week, grossing $5.1 million.
The imaginative one Poor Things, by Yorgos Lanthimos, expanded to 82 theaters and grossed $1.3 million. The film, which will expand to other theaters in the coming weeks, is nominated for seven Golden Globes, including Best Comedy or Musical.
American Fiction, by Cord Jefferson, opened in seven theaters in three cities with $32,411 per theater on average. It’s nominated for two Golden Globes and will expand to 40 theaters next week.
The Zone of Interest, by Jonathan Glazer, about the family of the Nazi commander of the Auschwitz concentration camp, was released in four theaters, grossing an average of $31,198 per theater. She is nominated for three Golden Globes.
The 10 highest-grossing movies from Friday to Sunday in the United States and Canada, according to Comscore:
1. Wonka – $39 million.
2. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes – $5.8 million.
3. The Boy and the Heron – $5.2 million.
4. Godzilla Minus One – $4.9 million.
5. Trolls Band Together – $4 million.
6. Wish – $3.2 million.
7. Christmas With the Chosen: Holy Night – $2.9 million.
8. Napoleon – $2.2 million.
9. Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé – $2 million.
10. Poor Things – $1.3 million.
Source: AP
