Warner Bros Pictures/Everett Collection
Refresh for more ….Warner Bros’/DC’s Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom posted $4.5M last night at 3,400 locations while Illumination/Universal’s Migration did $1.5M in what is expected to be a slow weekend at the 4-day Christmas box office. That’s largely due to the fact that there isn’t a massive want-to-see movie in the marketplace, Aquaman 2 weighted down by aweful reviews at 36% on Rotten Tomatoes and outlook of $40M plus-or-minus over four-days.
Previews started at 3PM for Aquaman 2 while Migration started at 2PM.
Already, the sequel’s previews are less than that of Disney/Marvel Studios’ dud The Marvels which did $6.6M before a 3-day of $46.1M, the lowest start ever for a Marvel movie. That said, Aquaman 2‘s previews are higher than that of DC’s earlier bomb, Shazam: Fury of the Gods ($3.4M Thursday night, $11.7M Friday, and 3-day of $30.1M).
The one advantage that Aquaman 2 has is that it is the bigger marquee draw, however, Warner Bros is in competition with itself as the other golden ticket at the box office Wonka which made $4.2M last night –almost as much as Aquaman 2, for a first week’s haul of $57.5M. The notion is that the Timothee Chalamet movie will ease to $20M+ over the four days.
General audiences in Comscore/Screen Engine PostTrak exits did not like Aquaman 2 with 3 stars last night and a 50% recommend, and that’s the time when the big fans shows up. Ugh. However, parents gave it 5 stars and kids under 12 gave it 4 stars, so perhaps they save this movie in the end.
With Christmas on Monday, business for all movies will be significantly better at that point in time and thereafter. With Christmas Eve, a downer day at the B.O., on Sunday, brace yourselves for lower than expected results. The first Aquaman was slow out of the gate back when it opened, grossing $136.7M in its first seven days back during the holidays 2018, and $67.8M over 3-days. However, the James Wan directed sequel isn’t expected to have the same luster.
Migration‘s $1.5M is less than Disney’s Tuesday pre-Thanksgiving previews of Wish which did $2.3M ($31.6M 5-day). Granted, the latter is girl leaning and the Ilumination title is more boys at 60%. Other comps for Migration include DreamWorks Animation’s Trolls Band Together ($1.3M previews, $9.3M Friday and $30M opening weekend) as well as The Bad Guys ($1.15M, $7.9M Friday, and $23.95M opening). Critics aren’t entirely turning their backs to this original animation movie at 69% fresh, nor are audiences with PostTrak scores of 4 1/2 stars for parents and 5 stars for kids under 12. General moviegoers didn’t have the patience for this Benjamin Renner and Guylo Homsy directed animated film about ducks at 3 1/2 stars and 51%.
Columbia Pictures’ Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell R-rated romantic comedy Anyone But You did $1.2M at 2,723 locations that began at 2PM. The movie is expected to do between $7M-$10M over 4-days. Last night’s previews are a tad higher than that of the George Clooney-Julia Roberts romantic comedy, Ticket to Paradise, which filed $1.1M before a $6.4M Friday and $16.1M opening. Critics aren’t that far apart between Ticket which the slammed at 57% and Anyone But You which they stuck their tongues at 48%. Hopefully prospective moviegoers don’t read reviews and listen to their friends as Thursday’s audience gave the Will Gluck directed movie 4 stars and a 57% recommend.
Meanwhile, A24’s The Iron Claw at 2,100 theaters posted $670K from previews that started at 4PM. That movie is expected do in the high single digits over the 4-day holiday. Out of the gate PostTrak audiences graded the Zac Efron-Jeremy Allen White wrestling drama 4 1/2 stars and 76% recommend.
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