Wonka debuted with $39 million in box office sales in US and Canadian theaters over the weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday. That made it a strong start for the Timothée Chalamet-starring Willy Wonka musical that underscored the young star's draw. Musicals have been tough sells in theaters in recent years, so much so that Warner Bros. downplayed the song and dance elements of Wonka in trailers. Instead, the studio emphasized Chalamet, the 27-year-old actor who, with Wonka, notched his second No. 1 movie, following 2021's Dune. The earlier film recorded a $41 million opening. While Dune was a sprawling and star-studded sci-fi adventure, Wonka relies chiefly on Chalamet's charisma.
Wonka, which cost about $125 million to produce and played at 4,203 locations, was also the first big Hollywood release to launch following the end of the SAG-AFTRA actors' strike. Directed by Paul King of Paddington, Wonka is a prequel to 1971's Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, with Chalamet starring as a young Wonka trying to open a candy store. Its ensemble cast includes Hugh Grant, Olivia Colman, and Keegan-Michael Key. It received mostly good reviews (84% "fresh" on Rotten Tomatoes) and positive audience reaction (an A- CinemaScore). The only other new wide release in theaters was Christmas With the Chosen: Holy Night, from Christian-theme distributor Angel Studios. It debuted with $2.9 million in sales through 2,094 theaters.
Below are estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at US and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
- Wonka, $39 million.
- The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, $5.8 million.
- The Boy and the Heron, $5.2 million.
- Godzilla Minus One, $4.9 million.
- Trolls Band Together, $4 million.
- Wish, $3.2 million.
- Christmas With the Chosen: Holy Night, $2.9 million.
- Napoleon, $2.2 million.
- Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé, $2 million.
- Poor Things, $1.3 million.
(More
box office stories.)
,
uBlock 
,
and
Ghostery 
)
