Early estimates for the Christmas box office have been revised downward for several films, citing lighter-than-expected traffic on Saturday as audiences prioritized holiday preparations and other activities. The hope now is that movie-going will see a significant uptick after the unwrapping of presents on Monday.
James Wan's highly anticipated film, "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom," is projected to have one of the lowest starts in the history of the DC Cinematic Universe, with a four-day domestic gross estimate of $40 million, including $28 million over the three days. Despite this, it may still claim the top spot. Internationally, the film performed better, raking in $80.1 million from 72 markets, including an impressive $30.4 million in China, marking the biggest superhero film opening of the year.
The big-budget sequel, reuniting director James Wan and star Jason Momoa, has faced criticism from critics and only received a B Cinema Score from audiences. The film, which had a troubled journey to the big screen, signals the end of an era as new DC chiefs James Gunn and Peter Safran plan to reboot the DC Universe with 2025's "Superman: Legacy."
In contrast, the original "Aquaman" was a holiday blockbuster in 2018, opening to $67.9 million over the Dec. 21-23 weekend and reaching a domestic tally of $105.4 million through Christmas Day. It went on to earn $335.1 million domestically and a staggering $1.15 billion globally, making it the highest-grossing DCEU title at the time, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The performance of "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" adds weight to the superhero fatigue theory, suggesting even dedicated fans may be growing weary. The sequel is trailing behind the recent $46.1 million opening of Marvel Studios' "The Marvels."
Other films released on Friday include "Wonka," which opened the previous weekend, and "The Color Purple," set to open on Dec. 25.
In a daring move, Warner Bros. has three year-end holiday event movies: "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom," "Wonka," and "The Color Purple," the latter two being musicals. The studio is testing the audience's appetite for diverse genres during this lucrative moviegoing period.
In the animated film category, Illumination and Universal's "Migration" is vying for family audiences during the holidays. With an A CinemaScore, the film is expected to earn $12.3 million for the weekend and $17.2 million for the four days, exceeding some earlier predictions. Overseas, it is projecting a muted $22 million from 43 markets through Sunday.
As the Christmas box office competition unfolds, "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" is expected to secure the top spot, followed by "Wonka" and "Migration." Other notable releases include Columbia/Sony's romantic-comedy "Anyone but You" and A24's wrestling family drama "The Iron Claw," both showing promise in their respective genres. The final box office verdict for "Migration" is anticipated during the lucrative week between Christmas and New Year's.
