- Wonka – £3,779,635 – £53,074,026
Down 43.4% in the fifth weekend
Took £1.13m 29.9% (52.5% drop £2.38m) Friday; £1.52m 40.2% (34.8% drop £2.33m) Saturday; £1.12m 29.9% (42.6% drop £1.95m) Sunday; with schools returning Monday dropped 76.2% £288k (£1.21m)
4th biggest fifth weekend below Avatar (£5,527,039); Avatar: The Way of Water (£4,172,161) and Skyfall (£3,809,893) and ahead of Titanic (£3,657,613); No Time To Die (£3,514,308); Top Gun: Maverick (£3,370,647); LOTR: Fellowship of the Rings (£3,276,912); Spider-Man: No Way Home (£3,215,166) and Star Wars: The Force Awakens (£3,137,258) and 14th inflated between The Full Monty (£1,975,136) and No Time To Die (£3,514,308).
Top 10 uninflated Avatar (£5,527,039); Titanic (£3,657,613); LOTR: Fellowship (£3,276,912); Jurassic Park (£2,151,284); Skyfall (£3,809,893); Harry Potter/Philosopher’s Stone (£2,391,251); LOTR: Two Towers (£2,403,388); Crocodile Dundee (£1,044,232); Star Wars: Phantom Menace (£2,312,687) and Avatar: The Way of Water (£4,172,161). With 6 of these opening over 20 years shows how the market has changed since with only Wonka and Avatar 2 the two films joining that list released over the last 11 years.
But after having the biggest fourth weekend last week would have expected Wonka would have had a fifth weekend ahead of Avatar 2 instead dropped more than expected probably due to Wonka being a Christmassy film. This is why when it does drop off #1 in probably its seventh weekend it will drop down the top 10 quickly as Joker did in 2019, after staying #1 for 6 weeks was out of the top 10 four weeks later, that said by then it would have taken £65m+.
40h biggest film in the UK between Frozen 2 and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 (close to Casino Royale, Bohemian Rhapsody, The Full Monty and Marvel Avengers Assemble) and 108th biggest inflated between Chicken Run and Spider-Man (close to Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Back to the Future, The Greatest Showman and Mrs. Doubtfire).
9th biggest Warner Bros film between Fantastic Beasts and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 (close to Dunkirk, The Dark Knight Rises, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and Harry Potter & The Half Blood Prince).
Wonka has currently taken 5.96x opening similar to My Best Friend’s Wedding, Clueless, Little Women (2019), Hairspray, Bridget Jones’s Baby, The Birdcage, Inception and 1917; Barbie was 5.16x opening.
Wonka was playing in 739 cinemas and 1,252 screens.
David Heyman has had the Midas Touch this year producing two of Warner Bros biggest films Barbie and Wonka both shot at Leavesden Studios. He has had huge success with Warner Bros producing Harry Potter films, 11 of Warner Bros’s biggest 20 films in the UK are produced by him. He also developed Paddington at the studio for many years before they dropped the project and Studiocanal acquired it, and both films were critical and box office success with a third film set for release next November.
Fifth weekends
2014’s Paddington up 2% £2,558,263 #3 and £23,959,025 from 603 screens 63.1% of £37,965,541; was #1 for 2 weeks; in the top 5 for 8 weeks and in the top 10 for 12 weeks; took £2m+ for 6 weeks and £1+ for 7 weeks.
2017’s Paddington 2 dropped 41% £1,690,027 #1 from 661 screens and £29,332,318 68.8% of £42,643,286; #1 for 3 weeks split over 5 weeks, opened #1, then dropped #2 for 2 weeks before returning #1 in early December; top 5 for 8 weeks and top 10 for 10 weeks; took £2m+ for 4 weeks and £1m+ for 9 weeks.
2022’s Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical dropped 14% £1,128,063 #2 and £16,166,581 57.6% of £28,044,574
1996’s Matilda dropped 11% £605,030 (£1,314,190 inflated) and £6,017,309 (£13,140,502) 58.8% of £10,227,163 (£22,333,913 inflated)
2005’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory dropped 34% £1,116,172 #2 and £33,251,095 89.1% of £37,354,584 (£64,081,749 inflated)
2009’s Fantastic Mr Fox dropped 33% £454,088 #6 and £8,289,695 89.5% of £9,260,892 (£13,755,148)
2016’s The BFG up 10% £1,236,002 #5 and £25,767,760 84% of £30,694,086
1990’s The Witches took £2,135,460 (£7,405,372 inflated) and 1996’s James And The Giant Peach £5,750,628 (£12,558,128 inflated)
British audiences love seeing musicals even films that underwhelmed have performed stronger in the UK including most recently In The Heights taking 4x £1,073,687 opening and Cats (3.75x £3,207,471 opening). So, with the combination of a musical, a prequel of a beloved children’s film, Roald Dahl, similarities to Paddington and a strong British cast it was a no-brainer that Wonka was going to have long legs.
While many are now comparing Wonka to The Greatest Showman having overtaken its UK and global BO The Greatest Showman was very different few expected it to take a quarter of the BO it took Wonka was always expected to take £40m+ in the UK after the success of Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical last year and Char lie and the Chocolate Factory 19 years ago.
Wonka could be compared to 2018’s Mary Poppins Returns dropped 26% £1,668,638 and £40,699,643 of £44,541,719.
2008’s Mamma Mia! Dropped 11% £2,803,272 #3 and £39,168,064 of £69,166,814; 2018’s Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again! Dropped 37% £2,241,507 #2 and £54,523,054 of £65,603,758; while 2017’s The Greatest Showman dropped 2% £2,042,450 #4 and £19,965,506 of £49,592,940 and Barbie dropped 39% £2,698,990 #1 and £84,792,117 of £95,595,082
Warner Bros have their usual mix slate of films for 2024 starting with One Life, The Boys In The Boat and The Color Purple, and then Dune: Part 2 analysts seem to be overestimating its BO as a while before COVID Dune would have surely been expected to take more than double its $402m worldwide and £21.7m UK BO (35.87m opening) it’s unlikely the sequel will take double.
Mickey 17 is Parasite’s director Bong Joon Ho new film, Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire title tells all you need to know, Challengers is the new film from Call Me By Your Name director Luca Guadagnino. Furiosa is a prequel to Mad Max Fury Road, while Twisters is a sequel to 1996 film and also have another long gap sequel Beetlejuice 2, then musical sequel Joker: Folie à Deux and the latest Clint Eastwood film Juror No 2. It’s hard to see any of those taking £30m+ so Wonka will likely be their biggest 2024 film.
2. One Life £3,324,502 – NE
Took £1.6m (48.1%) from previews Mon-Thurs; Mon £454k (13.6%); Tues £366k (11%); Weds £371k (11.1%); Thurs £409k (12.3%)
Took £503k (15.1%) Friday; £755k (22.7%) Saturday; £466k (14%) Sunday; Monday dropped 40.7% £269k (£454k)
486th biggest opening between I Wanna Dance With Somebody and Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil (close to The King’s Speech, Captain Phillips, Ransom and Downton Abbey: A New Era) and 746th biggest inflated between I Wanna Dance With Somebody and Magic Mike (close to Shakespeare In Love, The Social Network, Back to the Future and The Imitation Game).
25th biggest opening over last 52 weeks between Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie and Trolls Band Together (close to Dungeons & Dragons, The Marvels, Scream 6 and Elemental)
One Life opens almost exactly 30 years after Schindler’s List opened £723,973 (£1,775,405 inflated) taking £14,150,675. The film received strong media coverage and positive reviews.
One Life performed as strongly during previews and the weekend taking similar box office as films targetting older audiences will often play stronger during the week rather than the weekend, it was different over the last week as most schools were still closed.
Had a world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival in September and a UK premiere at the London Film Festival in October, (was See-Saw Films’ fourth American Express Gala after The King’s Speech, Lion, and The Power of the Dog) receiving positive reviews.
The marketing materials generated controversy after the synopsis used in some independent cinemas referred to the children saved by Nicholas Winton as Central European rather than Jewish. The term wasn’t used by filmmakers or Warner Bros and was likely been added by a third party on IMDB with independent cinemas using that synopsis rather than one supplied by Warner Bros.
Normally there is outrage when non-Jewish actors play Jewish roles as recently with Bradley Cooper playing Leonard Bernstein in the Netflix biopic, Maestro. But with One Life Sir Nicholas Winton’s family requested Sir Anthony Hopkins to be cast giving the film a much higher profile.
That said Anthony Hopkins starred in the coming drama Armageddon Time as a Jewish grandfather alongside Anne Hathaway and Jeremy Strong but despite premiering at the Cannes Film Festival and receiving positive reviews did not find an audience in cinemas.
3. Priscilla – £1,326,326 – NE
Took £682,550 (51.6%) from previews Mon-Thurs
Took £196k (14.9%) Friday; £273k (20.6%) Saturday; £173k (13%) Sunday.
1,293rd biggest opening between Vice and Broken Arrow (close to In Her Shoes, Dreamgirls, Babylon and Road to Perdition) and 1,915th biggest inflated between Jane Eyre and Anastasia (close to Sense and Sensibility, High Fidelity, Far and Away and The Secret of My Success).
45th biggest opening over last 52 weeks between Babylon and 65 (close to Cocaine Bear, Magic Mike’s Last Dance, Anyone But You and No Hard Feelings)
Premiered at the Venice Film Festival and was released in the US Oct/Nov received positive reviews (82% Rotten Tomatoes).
Priscilla is Sofia Coppola’s eighth film taking $89m in the US and $252.33m worldwide; winning Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for Lost in Translation.
2004’s Lost in Translation opened £797,071 #5 from 97 screens (expanded into 280 after 4 weeks) taking £9,865,162
2006’s Marie Antoinette opened £283,883 #12 from 179 screens taking £641,566
2010’s Somewhere opened £125,581 #8 from 62 screens taking £288,689
2013’s The Bling Ring opened £141,425 #7 from 65 screens taking £468,949
2017’s The Beguiled opened £414,924 #6 from 250 screens taking £1,021,116
2020’s On the Rocks opened £93,821 #7 from 61 screens taking £453,819
4. Anyone But You – £1,094,951 – £3,391,223
Down 12.7% in its second weekend
Took £355k 32.4% (up 27.7% £278k) Friday; £429k 39.2% (up 39.7% £307k) Saturday; £311k Sunday 28.4% (up 114.5% £154k).
957th biggest second between Taken and Shazam! Fury Of The Gods (close to We’re the Millers, Stepbrothers, About Time and Bad Teacher) and 1,517th inflated between The Net and The Paw Patrol Movie (close to New Year’s Eve, A Simple Favour, Just Married and Love and Other Drugs).
Save the Last Dance and The English Patient (close to What Happens in Vegas, Silver Linings Playbook, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and 500 Days of Summer) and 1,975th biggest inflated between Next and A Perfect Murder (close to No Strings Attached, Romeo and Juliet, Dave and Serendipity).
60th biggest rom com opening between What Happens In Vegas and How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days (close to Four Weddings and a Funeral, While You Were Sleeping, New Year’s Eve and 500 Days Of Summer) 87th biggest inflated between Love, Simon and LA Story (Housesitter, Sweet Home Alabama, Crazy, Stupid, Love and Mannequin).
Will Gluck returns to his rom-com roots after directing Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway, Peter Rabbit and Annie.
It’s a return to romcom for Glen Powell after starring in Top Gun: Maverick last year, previously starred in Netflix’s Set It Up in 2018 alongside Zoey Deutch.
2011’s Friends with Benefits dropped 51% £936,025 and £4,081,071 of £6,241,762
2010’s Easy A dropped 46% £149,044 #11 from 203 screens and £773,795
Easy A is probably one of the best modern romcoms as its homages many 80s romcoms and John Hughes films whilst also being a modern-day retelling of A Scarlet Letter, it was also one of Emma Stone’s early leading roles, sadly it didn’t find its audience in cinemas.
Other recent rom-coms Second weekend
2022’s Ticket To Paradise dropped 52% £1,337,216 #3 and £5,169,609 of £9,669,162
2023’s No Hard Feelings dropped 46% £632,602 #6 and £2427,705 of £3,881,194
It has been seen as a sorta sequel to 1997’s My Best Friend’s Wedding dropped £1,136,533 (£2,225,594 inflated) taking £3,464,885 of £9,003,541 (£17,631,013 inflated) and 1999’s 10 Things I Hate About You dropped 12.1% £386,655 (£731,981 inflated) and £1,006,162 of £2,809,751 (£5,319,172 inflated).
1,780th biggest between Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit and Astro Boy (close to Scent of a Woman, Nine Months, A Life Less Ordinary and The Prince of Tides) and 2,255th biggest inflated between The Forever Purge and The Flintstones In Viva Rock Vegas (close to Broadcast News, The Brady Bunch Movie, Fever Pitch and No Hard Feelings).
5. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom £938,303 – £8,252,663
Down 45.8% in its third weekend.
Took £266k 28.3% (57.2% £621k) Friday; £415k 44.2% (35% drop £639k) Saturday; £257k 50.1% (45.3% drop £470k) Sunday.
904th biggest third weekend between Speed and Music And Lyrics (close to Collateral, National Treasure, Heat and Now You See Me) and 977th inflated between The Addams Family 2 and The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (close to Alita: Battle Angel, Wolf, Beetlejuice and Natural Born Killers).
12th biggest DC third weekend between Shazam! And The Flash
63rd biggest comic-book third weekend between Shazam! And The Wolverine (close to The Suicide Squad, Batman, X-Men: The Last Stand and Fantastic Four (2005) and 73rd biggest inflated between The Incredible Hulk and Daredevil (close to Dick Tracy, Superman IV, Watchmen and Birds Of Prey).
Third weekends
2018’s Aquaman up 3% (Christmas week) £2,445,108 #3 from 559 screens and £14,353,312 of £22,066,309
Shazam! Fury Of The Gods dropped 57% £469,120 #4 and £4,851,844 of £5,892,663 almost half of 2019’s Shazam! Dropped 54% £979,787 #1 and £11,787,522 of £13,151,121, The Flash dropped 53% £619,541 #7 and £8,008,947 of £8,856,170.
MCU’s Ant-Man 3 dropped 52% £1,435,619 #2 and £17,214,114 of £19,263,938 and The Marvels dropped 61% £485,099 #5 and £6,564,315 of £7,095,634.
The 16 DC Extended Universe films have taken £330n+ since Man of Steel in 2013 and £360m+ inflated.
13th biggest DC Extended Universe film between Birds of Prey and Aquaman 2
858th biggest between The Hannah Montana Movie and Scream (1997) close to Waterworld, Ghostbusters 2, The Rock and The Living Daylights) and 1,414th biggest inflated between Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging and The Island (close to Point-Break, Thelma & Louise, Mighty Joe Young and Masters of the Universe).
While Aquaman 2 sees the end of the current DC Extended Universe, James Gunn’s DC slate of films starts with Joker: Folie á Deux opening in October 2024 a musical sequel to the 2019 hit, Superman: Legacy July 2025 and The Batman – Part II October 2025.
As with MCU what will be more interesting to see is what James Gunn does with the lesser-known DC films as Batman and Superman films have always been popular at the box office in all the different versions that have been made over the years on the big and small screen.
Also opened.
- Night Swim – Universal Pictures
Opened £590,691 #9 from 420 screens.
Took £200k Friday; £248k Saturday; £142k Sunday.
168th biggest horror opening between Psycho (1999) and Nightmare on Elm Steet III (close to Happy Death Day 2U, I Know What You Did Last Summer, From Dusk Till Dawn and Thanksgiving).
2,097th biggest opening between Days Of Thunder and The Crow (close to Flatliners (1990), Predator, Beverly Hills Cop and The Running Man).
Blumhouse horrors have taken £150m+ over the last 10 years the biggest openers.
2023’s M3gan £2,356,356; 2019’s Glass £3,423,380; 2013’s Insidious 2 £2,877,742; 2019’s Us £2,766,839; 2018’s Halloween £2,656,097; 2017’s Split £2,548,516 and 2020’s The Invisible Man £2,163,797
M3gan took more in its opening day £806k Friday than Night Swim opened over its opening weekend, but as many Blumhouse Production films they often open far less than they do in the US.
UK box office in detail
The first weekend in January has been one of the strongest weekends of the year as it benefits from extended openings from films opening New Years Day, Christmas holdovers and major award contenders. Despite this last weekend was the lowest pre-COVID since 2012, down almost 40% from 2019 and 23% from 2018/17 as weekend box office is still about 30% from 2019 levels for most weeks despite, so where have those cinemagoers gone and will they return?
This weekend’s top 10 box office took £16,079,436 down 17.5% from last weekend’s £16,079,436: 1,615,125 admissions down 20% from 2,017,495 admissions.
14th biggest weekend of the last 52 weeks between 30 June 2023 #1 Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny (£7,144,441) and 22 December 2023 #1 Wonka (£7,214,019)
33rd biggest since cinemas reopened out of 164 weeks between 30 June 2023 #1 Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny (£7,144,441) and 22 December 2023 #1 Wonka (£7,214,019)
338th biggest top 10 of the last 21 years (out of 1,136) between 11 May 2018 #1 Avengers: Infinity War £5,706,170 (42.98% of top 10) and 27 December 2002 #1 Lord of the Rings: Two Towers £8,177,801 (61.7% of top 10) and 624th biggest inflated between 21 September 2001 #1 A.I. £2,285,786 (33.16% of top 10) and 01 November 2002 #1 28 Days Later £1,500,079 (21.02% of top 10)
The top 3 took (£8,430,463) 63.6% of the top 10; Wonka 28.5% (£3,779,635); One Life 25.07% (£3,324,502); Priscilla 10% (£1,326,326).
745th highest #1 percentage (28.5%) between 19 July 2013 Monsters University (28.52%) and 09 June 2017 Wonder Woman (28.47%)
697th biggest admissions #1 (474,233) between 04 June 2021 A Quiet Place Part II (474,341) and 19 February 2010 Avatar (473,447)
Up 18.3% from 2023; £11,210,520); A Man Called Otto (£1,088,410); Andre Rieu In Dublin 2023 (£715,987); Till (£327,496); #1 Avatar: The Way of Water 4th week £5,870,063 23% drop 714 screens (52.36% of top 10).
Up 52.1% from 2022 (£8,716,739); Licorice Pizza (£879,373); The 355 (£367,148); Boiling Point (£79,117); #1 Spider-Man No Way Home £4,477,415 4th week 26% drop 680 screens (51.4% of top 10)
2021; Lockdown 2
Down 38.6% 2020 (£21,600,665); The Gentlemen 41.7% (£3,057,108); Jojo Rabbit 33% (£2,415,233); Andre Rieu: 70 Years Young 23.4% (£1,717,074); #1 Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker 3rd weekend £4,396,258 (20.3% of top 10)
Down 22.8% from 2019: (£17,185,874); The Favourite (£3,973,975); Andre Rieu’s 2019 New Year Concert from Sydney (£1,745,941); Welcome to Marwen (£242,156); Life Itself (£54,131); #1 Mary Poppins Returns £4,444,023 3rd week #1 718 screens 40% drop (25.8% of top 10)
Down 23.8% from 2018; (£17,391,172); Molly’s Game (£2,283,420); Hostiles (£380,718); Brad’s Status (£33,579); #1 Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle £3,895,450 3rd week 1st #1 579 screens 25% drop (22.43% of the top 10)
Down 22.9% from 2017: (£17,194,216); Assassin’s Creed (£5,285,064); A Monster Calls (£1,920,744); Silence (£1,542,926); Nabucco – Met Opera 2017 (£335,390); #1 Assassin’s Creed £5,285,064 1st week 527 screens (30.7% of top 10)
Down 12.5% from 2016: (£15,145,367); The Hateful Eight (£2,778,633); A War (£17,356); #1 Star Wars: The Force Awakens £6,001,948 4th week 634 screens 42% drop (39.6% of top 10)
Down 33.1% from 2015; (£19,828,105); The Theory of Everything (£3,749,293); The Woman In Black: Angel of Death (£2,431,823); Birdman (£1,524,667); Enemy (£20,937); #1 The Theory of Everything £3,749,293 1st week 532 screens (18.9% of top 10)
Down 28.3% from 2014: (£18,483,581); Last Vegas (£1,811,695); Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones (£1,543,091); Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (£1,472,500); #1 American Hustle (expansion) £3,467,644 2nd week 1st #1 411 screens up 7,401% (18.7% of top 10)
Down 30.3% from 2013: (£19,026,396); The Impossible (£4,034,470); Quartet (£2,294,917); Playing for Keeps (£507,319); Chinatown (Re: 2013) (£16,138); #1 The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey £4,075,781 4th week 568 screens 41% drop (21.4% of top 10)
Up 11.5% from 2012 (£11,885,910); The Iron Lady (£2,151,368); Goon (£728,286) l; #1 Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol £2,223,200 2nd week 73% drop 517 screens (18.7% of top 10)
Down 1.3% from 2011 (£13,432,653); The King’s Speech (£3,523,102); 127 Hours (£2,168,570); The Next Three Days (£1,046,333); Season of the Witch (£559,769); It’s Kind of a Funny Story (£82,056); #1 The King’s Speech £3,523,102 1st week 395 screens (26.2% of top 10)
Up 6.5% from 2010: (£12,452,981); Daybreakers (£1,344,588); It’s Complicated (£1,098,659); The Road (£627,147); Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll (£173,831); #1 Avatar £4,770,980 4th week 493 screens 20% drop (38.3% of top 10)
Up 11.7% from 2009; (£11,872,842); The Spirit (£1,351,370); The Reader (£671,064); Che: Part One (£429,836); Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants 2 (£41,305); #1 Yes Man 2nd week £2,223,950 (18.7% of top 10)
Up 3.8% from 2008; (£12,768,659); Lust, Caution (£240,665); #1 I Am Legend £3,740,369 2nd week 458 screens 66% drop (29.3% of top 10)
Up 20.5% from 2007: (£11,003,216); Miss Potter (£1,400,943); Apocalypto (£1,360,110); Employee of the Month (£1,075,883); White Noise: The Light (£698,461); #1 Night at the Museum £2,958,093 2nd week 487 screens 62% drop (26.8% of top 10)
Up 20.1% from 2006; (£10,866,142); Just Friends (£1,750,481); Brokeback Mountain (£987,261); Match Point (£751,992); Running Scared (£275,498); #1 King Kong £2,160,421 473 screens 19% drop (19.88% of top 10)
Up 48.4% from 2005 (£8,933,539); White Noise (£1,787,478); The Aviator (expansion) (£1,314,946); Alexander (£1,200,083); Vera Drake (£266,010); #1 White Noise £1,787,478 1st week 314 screens (201% of top 10)
Down 3.2% from 2004 (£13,698,709); Stuck On You (£1,114,837); American Splendor (£135,568); #1 Lord of the Rings: Return of the King £6,496,723 3rd week #1 498 screens 9% drop (47.4% of top 10)
Up 12.6% from 2003 (£11,773,904); Star Trek X: Nemesis (£1,957,845); City Of God (£307,177); Spider (£63,949); #1 Lord of the Rings: Two Towers 3rd-week #1 £5,774,170 502 screens 29% drop (49.1% of top 10)
Up 18.3% from 2002 (£11,208,567); The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (£5,967,910); Behind Enemy Lines (£903,589); The Last Castle (£161,862); Mulholland Drive (£134,798); Monsoon Wedding (£130,466); Beauty and the Beast (£44,797); #1 The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring £5,967,910 3rd week #1 470 screens (53.2% of top 10)
Next week: (£12,465,200); M3gan (£2,356,357); Empire Of Light (£1,721,921); Varisu (£648,230); Tar (£394,649); #1 Avatar: The Way of Water £4,172,161 5th week 659 screens down 29% (33.47% of top 10).
UK BO 2023
ComScore reported UK & Ireland BO for 2023 £1,062bn up 8.3% from last year (£980.51m), but why do ComScore include Republic of Ireland BO as they are part of the EU so surely now included within annual EU BO?
Republic of Ireland was up 13%, Wales 10%, Northern Ireland up 9% with England and Scotland having smallest increase 8%. Republic of Ireland regularly has higher growth than the rest of the UK. 1,013 films were released; top 5 took 33% (£350m); top 10 took 40.5% (£465m); top 20 60% (£640m) and top 50 8% (£900m).
Warner Bros #1 UK distributor taking £239.2m (22.5%) overtaking Universal £225.4m (21.2%) over the last week of 2023. As in the US up to July 20th Warner Bros had a very start of 2023 released 8 films taking £45m, and they released another 8 films from July 21st to December 20th taking £180m, showing again how one or two films can turnaround a studio. This was seen last year with Top Gun Maverick for Paramount and their BO dropped almost 50% this year. Disney #3 took £203.4m (19.2%); Sony #4 and Paramount #5 with 9.5% and 7.3%, Paramount had a big drop from 2022. The Top 10 distributors’ films took 91.5% of box office: 93.6% in 2022 and 95.7% in 2021.
Much was made about UK & Ireland BO taking £1bn but that’s about a fifth of what Video/streaming took last year in the UK £3.9bn. The UK music, video and games markets grew 7% in 2023 to £11.9bn. video, up 10% to £4.915n, music, up 9.6% to £2.220bn and games up 2.9% to £4.737bn. The entertainment market has grown by over 50% since 2019, video (up 88.3%), followed by music (+38.8%) and games (+29.2%).
So why hasn’t cinema grown similarly since 2019, as many said that post-COVID people would rush to the cinema, but these numbers show they are streaming as much post-COVID as during COVID and more than before. Over the last 20 years expectations have lowered with cinema in what is success while video sales have dropped over the last decade £169.7m last year physical sales streaming is up 11.6% £4.739bn. DVD sales down 21.7% to £91.8m; Blu-ray down 15.1% to £77.9m and the biggest-selling video was Avatar – The Way of Water selling 560,000 copies (many millions more brought download or streamed from Disney+), in 2010 Avatar sold 222,824 copies of Blu-ray in its first day in the UK and 2.7m copies for The Greatest Showman sold in 2018.
The UKCA will publish UK only figure for 2023 which will be about £970m up 8% from last year (£902m). Admissions for UK & Ireland are expected to be 130m+ so about 120m which will be similar to the level they were 30 years ago. 2022 average price was £7.62 but 2023 must be closer to £8 with the huge increases in energy costs that have seen exhibitors put prices as even Peckhamplex was forced to increase tickets £1 up 20% for the first time since 2010. UKCA uses Peckhamplex to claim going to the cinema is still a cheap night out, but few people now are paying less than £8n to go to the cinema with many paying three times as much.
Post-COVID industry has regularly talked about this huge demand, audiences would rush back and would be the second Golden Age of cinema but this full recovery keeps being pushed back now to 2025, why will 2025 be any different to 2023 it has the same sequels and comic-book movies, Disney reimaginations. The problem is it currently lacks multi-generational films like Barbie, Oppenheimer and Wonka playing across all demographics, bridging audiences to other films together, this also happened with the original Avatar and Black Panther films but not the sequels.
US Box Office
- Wonka – Warner Bros
Down 37% in its fourth weekend taking $14.07m #1 and $164.3m
145th biggest fourth weekend between Sing, Home Alone, A Star Is Born and Bohemian Rhapsody)
350th biggest between Catch Me if You Can and The Proposal; 866th inflated between Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues and Life of Pi; 13th biggest 2023 between Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One and The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes; 13th biggest musical between Chicago and The Sound of Music (overtaking Sing, La La Land and Les Misérables); 59th biggest Warner Bros between Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and Clash of the Titans.
Other Roald Dahl’s film adaptions fourth weekends
2005’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory dropped 33.1% $10.96m and $169.42m of $206.45m and $474.96m WW
2009’s Fantastic Mr Fox dropped 58.1% $2.91m and $14.08m of $21m and $46.47m WW
2016’s The BFG dropped 73.3% $1.01m and $50.95m of $55.48m and $195.24m WW
1996’s Matilda dropped 49.5% $1.52m and $28.64m of $33.45m
1996’s James And The Giant Peach dropped 34.1% $2.36m and $22.82m of $28.94m
In the UK Wonka is performing similarly to Paddington
2015’s Paddington dropped 36.9% $5.22m and $57.12m of $76.27m and $282.43m WW
2017’s Paddington 2 dropped 42.2% $3.27m and $36.48m of $40.9m and $227.3m WW
2018’s Mary Poppins Returns dropped 51.8% $7.65m and $151.09m of $171.95m and $349.54m WW
Analysts are now comparing Wonka with The Greatest Showman, but they are very different films, buzz was strong for Wonka for 15 months after very positive reactions to test screenings in October 2022. Wonka entered Christmas as the only major release as little was expected from Aquaman 2 generating negativity for months. Wonka received very positive reviews in the UK, and momentum built from its strong UK opening before the US. After Charlie and the Chocolate Factory took $475m and Matilda was hugely successful in the UK and on Netflix last year a similar global BO to Charlie was surely the minimum expected.
It was very different to The Greatest Showman, had a little buzz going into its opening, received mixed reviews and after opening fourth behind The Last Jedi, Jumanji and Pitch Perfect 3 little was expected from it, but it became the people’s champion. While Wonka also benefited from IMAX/PLF and other surcharge cinema The Greatest Showman as Barbie In the summer against Oppenheimer didn’t have IMAX/PLF and was also booked into smaller screens.
Took $28.9m from 77 territories $303.4m total and $467.7m worldwide; UK $67.2m; France $22.7m; Germany $18.6m; Australia $18.1m; Holland $10.9m.
273rd worldwide between Godzilla vs. Kong and It: Chapter Two; 14th biggest worldwide between Elemental and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania; 7th biggest musical worldwide between Mamma Mia! And Beauty and the Beast (overtaking Les Misérables $435.4m; La La Land $435.2m; The Greatest Showman $429.9m and close to 2005’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’s $474.96m worldwide; 46th biggest Warner Bros worldwide between Godzilla vs. Kong and It: Chapter Two.
Took $16.1m from IMAX worldwide.
- Night Swim – Universal Pictures
Opened $11.79m; received poor reviews (27% Rotten Tomatoes) and C CinemaScore.
Took $1.45m from Thursday midnights.
Last year the same weekend M3gan took $2.75m from Thursday previews ($30.42m opening); 2022’s Scream $3.5m ($30m); 2019’s The Escape Room’s $2.3m ($18.3m); The Black Phone $3m ($23.63m)
Third of BO came from PLF didn’t have any IMAX screens.
Normally the first weekend in January is dump week 2022 The 355 $4.62m opening; 2017 Underworld: Blood Wars $13.68m; 2016 The Forest $12.74m; 2015 The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death $15.02m; 2014 Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones $18.34m; 2013 Texas Chainsaw $21.74m; The Devil Inside $33.73m; 2011 Season of the Witch $10.61m.
M3gan had a very strong marketing campaign which was very social media friendly that started with the M3gan dance at the film’s premiere in early December, this was similar to Paramount’s Smile. #MeganDanceChallenage generated 1.3bn views on TikTok using hashtags #M3GAN, #M3GANMovie, and #M3GANDance. Buzz on Night Swim was far less but still opened lower than expected and even worse internationally.
Blumhouse Productions films have taken $3.15bn in the US and $6bn worldwide; upcoming Blumhouse Production films include Imaginary in March, Speak No Evil in August and Wolf Man in October and then M3GAN 2.0 and The Black Phone 2 in 2025.
Opened with $5.7m from 36 territories; Mexico $1.1m; UK $760k; France $680k; Australia $467k; Saudi Arabia $350k.
- Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom – Warner Bros
Dropped 42% in the third weekend $10.6m and $100.01m
625th biggest third weekend between The Patriot and S.W.A.T. (close to Real Steel, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, Superman and Ghostbusters: Afterlife).
822nd biggest between Die Hard: With a Vengeance and Gnomeo and Juliet; 1,661st biggest inflated between Dawn of the Dead and Goosebumps; 24th biggest 2023 between Trolls Band Together and M3GAN; 86th biggest comic-book between Daredevil and The Green Hornet; 140th biggest Warner Bros between Edge of Tomorrow and Yes Man.
Third weekends
2018’s Aquaman dropped 40.5% $31m and $260.02m of $335.06m and $1.51bn WW
2023’s The Flash dropped 65.4% $5.23m and $99.48m of $108.13m and $270.63m WW
2023’s Blue Beetle dropped 41.5% $7.11m and $56.41m of $72.48m and $129.28m WW
2023’s Shazam! Fury of the Gods dropped 50.7% $4.6m and $53.47m of $57.63m and $133.83m WW.
2019’s Shazam! Dropped 32.7% $16.46m and $120.43m of $140.37m and $365.97m WW.
DC Extended Universe took $2.73bn in the US and $6.97bn worldwide.
Took $30.3m (down 37%) from 77 territories and $236.4m and $336.41m WW; China $54.3m; Mexico $17.5m; France $13.5m; Germany $13m; UK $10.5m.
IMAX took $2.3m internationally and $31m globally.
466th biggest worldwide between Batman Forever and Prince of Persia: Sands of Time; 21st biggest 2023 between Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny and The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes; 70th biggest comic-book between Batman Forever and Fantastic Four (2005); 85th biggest Warner Bros between Batman Forever and 300: Rise of an Empire.
- Migration – Universal Pictures
Down 41% in the third weekend $9.99m #4 and $77.56m
690th biggest third weekend between Jack and Jill and Encanto (close to The Angry Birds Movie, The Secret Life of Pets 2, Chicken Run and Bolt).
148th biggest animation The Adventures of Tintin and Rugrats in Paris; 1,103rd biggest between The Adventures of Tintin and Night School; 2,127th inflated between Ghosts of Girlfriends Past and Copycat; 32nd biggest 2023 between Insidious: The Red Door and Blue Beetle; 149th biggest Universal Pictures between Backdraft and Night School.
Third weekends
2022’s Puss in Boots: The Last Wish dropped 19.5% $13.54m and $88.12m of $185,53m and $481.07m worldwide
2021’s Sing 2 dropped 42.5% $11.59m and $108.66m of $162.72m and $408.4m
The 13 Illumination Entertainment films have taken $3.78bn in the US and $9.54bn worldwide.
Took $15.3m from 73 territories $74.45m total and $152m worldwide; Germany $11.6m; France $9.2m; Mexico $6.7m; Australia $5.1m; Spain $3.4m; having staggered international release and original Illumination animated film hard to compare with any other animated films.
166th biggest animation worldwide between The Angry Birds Movie 2 and PAW Patrol: The Movie; 1,252nd worldwide between Congo and Evita; 164th biggest Universal Pictures between Backdraft and 47 Ronin.
- The Color Purple – Warner Bros
Down 60% in the second weekend $4.64m and $54.5m
After having such a strong opening day, The Color Purple has performed strangely as would have expected given the positive reviews and popularity of the original film and the musical that it would have long legs, but after Warner Bros overestimated its extended opening weekend it had the biggest drop of the weekend.
If it struggles to find an audience in the US and not get award recognition it will struggle even more internationally. While many recent musicals haven’t featured the music in the trailers as Wonka the music was central in the trailers for The Color Purple so maybe this shows that the best way to promote a musical is not to promote it as a musical.
1985’s The Color Purple ($15m budget) opened on a platform release with $1.71m from 192 screens and expanded into 1,109 screens after 8 weeks taking $94.17m.
Second weekend wide
2006’s Dreamgirls dropped 38.6% $8.66m and $54.32m of $103.36m and $155.43m worldwide
2021’s West Side Story dropped 65.4% $3.65m and $18.22m of $38.53m and $76.01m worldwide
2012’s Les Misérables dropped 41.3% $16.01m and $103.3m of $148.8m and $442.29m worldwide
2017’s The Greatest Showman up 76.3% $15.52m and $49.03m of $174.34m and $438.55m WW
2011’s The Help dropped 23.1% $20.01m and $71.34m of $169.7m and $216.63m WW
43rd biggest musical in the US between Evita and Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile has overtaken Burlesque, West Side Story and Rock of Ages and will shortly overtake Moulin Rouge, Sweeney Todd and South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut.
- The Boys in the Boat – MGM/Amazon
Dropped 34% in the second weekend $5.58m #6 and $33.46m
George Clooney previously directed.
2002’s Confessions of a Dangerous Mind dropped 28.3% $4.3m and $12.4m of $16m and $33.01m worldwide
2005’s Good Night and Good Luck up 12.8% $1.88 and $19.55m of $31.55m and $54.64m worldwide
2008’s Leatherheads 50.5% $6.27m and $21.97m of $31.37m and $41.34m worldwide
2011’s The Ides of March dropped 32.1% $7.1m and $21.76m of $40.96m and $76.33m worldwide
2014’s The Monuments Men dropped 29.7% $15.47m and $44.14m of $78.03m and $158.7m worldwide
2017’s Suburbicon dropped 58.3% $1.18m and $5.08m of $5.77m and $15.52m worldwide
His last two films The Midnight Sky and The Tender Bar were made for Netflix and given a limited theatrical release. Will next star in Wolfs with Brad Pitt directed by Jon Watts set for release next September made by Apple released by Sony Pictures.
Took $345k from 2 territories and $34.3m worldwide.
- Anyone But You – Sony Pictures
Up 11% in its third weekend $9.75m #5 taking $43.96m
Third weekends
1996’s One Fine Day dropped 22.5% $6.21m and $32.24m of $46.15m
Most recent rom coms
2023’s No Hard Feelings down 31.2% $5.4m and $40.56m of $50.45m and $87.25m worldwide
2022’s Ticket to Paradise dropped 13.2% $8.54m and $46.77m of $68.27m and $168.76m worldwide.
It’s been called a sorta sequel to 1997’s My Best Friend’s Wedding dropped 28% $10.81m and $69.28m of $127.12m and $299.28m worldwide) as it features Dermot Mulroney and Rachel Griffiths as parents of Sydney Sweeney (aged 26). The film has been compared to Much Ado About Nothing and 1999’s 10 Things I Hate About You dropped 26.1% $3.73m and $25.13m of $38.17m and $53.47m worldwide.
Will Gluck’s earlier films took $380m in the US and $890m worldwide.
2009’s Fired Up dropped 33% $2.47m and $15.43m of $17.23m and $18.6m worldwide
2010’s Easy A dropped 36.3% $6.74m and $42.17m of $58.4m and $76.2m worldwide
2011’s Friends with Benefits dropped 49.5% $4.68m and $48.52m of $55.8m and $146.59m worldwide
2014’s Annie dropped 31.7% $11.25m and $72.46m of $85.91m and $139.82m worldwide
2018’s Peter Rabbit took $115.23m and $346.72m worldwide and 2021’s Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway $40.5m and $150.97m worldwide
Took $5.4m from 14 territories total $14.7m and $58.4m worldwide.
- Poor Things – Searchlight
Down 13% from 750 screens (dropping 50 screens) taking $1.97m #10 taking $14.19m.
Poor Things won Best Film – Musical or Comedy Golden Globe and Best Actress Emma Stone
Yorgos Lanthimos previously directed The Favourite took 6 weeks to expand into 800 screens; expanding into 91 screens in its third weekend taking $1.5m and $3.54m showing that Poor Things has probably expanded far too quickly into 800 screens after having a strong platform, this often happens when studios expand these films far too quickly.
It will be interesting to see how it expands over the coming weeks as The Favourite didn’t expand to its widest point until into over 1,500 screens; taking $34.36m and $95.91m worldwide.
2017’s The Killing of a Sacred Deer opened in $115,120 from 4 screens (expanded into 238 screens after 4 weeks); taking $2.29m and $6.93m worldwide.
Platform opening
- All of Us Strangers – Searchlight Pictures
Up 279% in the third weekend adding 36 screens taking $430,344 from 42 screens and $871,091.
UK Box Office Top 10
UK Box Office Preview
Wonka will hold #1 for the sixth weekend dropping about 30%-35% taking £2.5m-£3m staying #1 for as long as Barbie. It has seen a big drop in weekday box office since schools returned on Monday.
Yorgos Lanthimos’s Poor Things boosted by its Golden Globe wins for Golden Globe Best Fim and Best Actress for Emma Stone and her publicity tour with Mark Ruffalo has generated much buzz for the film, that said it won’t perform as strongly as 2019’s The Favourite opened £3,973,975 including £1,775,372 previews) £2,198,603 (Fri-Sun) #2 538 screens taking £16,972,417; Poor Things is an 18 while The Favourite 15.
One Life will drop 60%+ in its second weekend but that’s due to having a 7 day opening weekend, dropping about 30% without previews, taking about £1.1m-£1.3m
The Beekeeper was acquired by Sky Cinema but as with Ferrari will be given a wide UK release and not been shown same day o Sky Cinema. While many like to mock Jason Statham, his films are crowd pleasers The Transporter (opened £338,420 taking £623,493, The Mechanic opened £921,554 taking £2,445,760, Crank opened £450,141 taking £1,279,643 as well as The Expendables, The Meg and Fast & Furious ensemble franchises. Starting with Guy Ritchie’s Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels in August 1998 with £941,638 taking £11,399,953. The Beekeeper will out with about £1m will be front-loaded and out of the chart very quickly.
The Boys In The Boat will likely struggle to find an audience as many other films George Clooney has directed; 2017’s Suburbicon opened £231,412 #10 364 screens; 2011’s The Ides of March opened £665,387 #8 213 screens taking £2,777,102; 2008’s Leatherheads opened £474,780 #6 335 screens taking £933,067; 2006’s Good Night and Good Luck opened £411,455 #7 139 screens taking £2,359,453; 2003’s Confessions of a Dangerous Mind opened £356,623 #6 from 201 screens taking £1,038,201
Opening in two weeks
- Migration – Universal Pictures
Animated adventure comedy featuring voices of voices of Kumail Nanjiani, Elizabeth Banks, Keegan-Michael Key, Awkwafina, and Danny DeVito and directed by Benjamin Renner. It’s the 14th Illumination film since 2009’s Despicable Me (Despicable Me 4 coming in June).
As with Sing 2 and Puss In Boots: The Last Wish over the last two years Universal Pictures held back their Christmas animated film to February half-term as Disney would regularly do with their Thanksgiving animated films.
Puss In Boots: The Last Wish opened £4,950,495 #1 from 626 screens taking £25,633,299.
Sing 2 opened £6,867,533 #1 from 632 screens taking £32,790,416.
- Argylle – Universal Pictures
Spy action comedy starring Henry Cavill, Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell, Bryan Cranston, Catherine O’Hara, Dua Lipa, Ariana DeBose, John Cena, and Samuel L. Jackson and directed by Matthew Vaughn.
As 2022’s The Lost City Argylle looks to be inspired by Romancing the Stone, Elly Conway (Bryce Dallas Howard) is the writer of a fictional spy Agent Argylle which becomes reality, similar to Joan Wilder (Romancing the Stone) but t.
Matthew Vaughn previously directed The Kingsman trilogy, X-Men First Class, Kick-Ass, Stardust and Layer Cake and he also produced three Guy Ritchie films Lock Stock, Snatch and Swept Away.
AppleTV acquired rights for $200m and Matthew Vaughn has plans to be a franchise of at least three films and a potential crossover with The Kingsman.
2015’s Kingsman: The Secret Service opened £4,241,292 #3 taking £16,440,885
2017’s Kingsman: The Golden Circle opened £8,525,664 #1 taking £24,883,225
2022’s Bullet Train opened £2,858,197 #1 taking £10,766,199
2015’s The Man From U.N.C.L.E. opened £1,448,298 #4 taking £6,455,363
1993’s Last Action Hero opened £894,309 (£2,220,449 inflated) taking £3,580,336 (£8,889,495)
Opening the same weekend as Migration Argylle will likely open #2
- The Zone Of Interest – A24
Drama starring Christian Friedel and Sandra Hüller and directed by Jonathan Glazer, based on the 2014 novel by Martin Amis.
Had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival receiving critical acclaim and a six-minute standing ovation, won both the Grand Prix and FIPRESCI Prize, was selected as one of the top-five international films of 2023 by the National Board of Review and was nominated for three Golden Globes (Best Film Drama, Best Foreign Film and Original Score).
As in the US Jonathan Glazer’s films receive critical acclaim but as with directors like Paul Thomas Anderson struggles to find a wide audience beyond cinephiles.
2001’s Sexy Beast opened £98k from 27 screens (expanded to widest of 50 screens) taking £285k
2004’s Birth opened £421,758 #5 from 270 screens taking £953,661
2014’s Under the Skin opened £238,694 #10 from 75 screens taking £1,183,956
The Zone Of Interest will likely have a similar platform release as 2017’s Moonlight opening £621,836 #10 from 85 screens (expanded into 175/343/411 screens over the following weeks) expansion will depend on BAFTA and Oscar nominations.
- American Fiction – Curson
Comedy-drama starring Jeffrey Wright, Tracee Ellis Ross, Issa Rae, Sterling K. Brown, John Ortiz, Adam Brody, and Keith David and directed by Cord Jefferson, based on the 2001 novel Erasure by Percival Everett.
Premiered at the Toronto Film Festival winning the People’s Choice Award, received positive reviews (92% Rotten Tomatoes), was named one of the top 10 films of 2023 by the American Film Institute and was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards, including Best Film – Musical or Comedy.
