Title: ‘The Color Purple’ Soars at Holiday Box Office, Aquaman 2 Dominates
Jala News – The musical film adaptation of the beloved novel ‘The Color Purple’ had a triumphant opening at the holiday box office, securing its spot as one of the top performers. The heartwarming flick earned an impressive $18.1 million on Christmas Day, setting a new record for the second-highest showing ever for a movie opening on this festive occasion, and the best since 2009.
Directed by a star-studded ensemble of Fantasia Barrino, Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, and Colman Domingo, ‘The Color Purple’ captivated audiences across 3,142 theaters. The film’s success is a testament to its powerful storytelling and the enduring popularity of Alice Walker’s novel.
Another holiday release that surpassed expectations was ‘The Boys in the Boat’, directed by the multitalented George Clooney. This film, showcasing the inspiring journey of a group of rowers, earned a noteworthy $5.7 million from 2,557 locations on its opening day.
Taking the crown for the entire long Christmas weekend was ‘Aquaman 2’, raking in a domestic total of $38.3 million, complemented by an impressive $80.1 million overseas. Despite its victory, the film’s opening was considered one of the lowest starts within the DC Cinematic Universe’s history.
While the holiday box office revenue experienced a notable 11 percent increase compared to the same period in 2022, it fell short by 46 percent when compared to the pre-pandemic benchmark of 2019. Nevertheless, Warner Bros. emerged as the dominant force this year, thanks to the success of ‘Aquaman 2’, ‘Wonka’, and ‘The Color Purple’.
Following the footsteps of Warner Bros.’ success, ‘Wonka’, a musical featuring the talented Timothรฉe Chalamet, secured the second spot on the holiday chart, accumulating an impressive $28.4 million in revenue. ‘The Color Purple’ took the third spot despite only being in theaters for one day.
In contrast, Illumination and Universal’s animated family film ‘Migration’ had a disappointing opening, earning a meager $17.5 million, marking a disappointing milestone as Illumination’s lowest start to date. Meanwhile, Columbia/Sony’s romantic-comedy ‘Anyone But You’ managed to earn an estimated $8 million and received a positive B+ CinemaScore.
Among the specialty box office releases, ‘The Iron Claw’, a wrestling drama by A24, secured the sixth spot with $6.8 million in ticket sales, attracting a significant percentage of male audiences.
Finally, at the specialty box office, Searchlight Pictures’ film ‘All of Us Strangers’ stood out with an impressive location average of $36,000 for the Christmas weekend, reaffirming its appeal to a discerning audience.
Overall, the holiday season witnessed a mix of blockbusters, surprises, and some disappointments at the box office, leaving movie enthusiasts eagerly awaiting the next wave of captivating releases in the coming year.
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