Posted in: Box Office, Movies | Tagged: anyone but you, aquaman and the lost kingdom, Glen Powell, Migration, Night Swim, Sydney Sweeney, Weekend Box Office, Wonka

Anyone But You Impresses At Weekend Box Office, But Wonka Wins Again

Wonka won the Weekend Box Office yet again, but it is Anyone But You and the run it is on that has the town talking right now.

Published Sun, 07 Jan 2024 14:17:09 -0600

by Jeremy Konrad

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Article Summary

Wonka dominates box office again with $14.4M, surpassing $150M domestically.
Anyone But You unexpectedly thrives, up 9% and earns $9.5M in fifth place.
Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell praised for chemistry in romantic comedy.
Industry critiques Sony's lackluster marketing of Anyone But You's potential.

Anyone But You is making noise at the box office in ways many thought would not be possible, but it was still not enough to take down Wonka from the top. The WB family film won its second straight weekend, pulling in $14.4 million and sending it over $150 million domestically. It continues to hold extremely well, only dropping by 36% from last week's holiday weekend. I wonder if there is room for a sequel, as I bet WB would like one now. The film currently sits at $465 million and is a bonafide hit worldwide.

Wonka Wins, But Anyone But You Is The Talk Of The Town

Second place went to the new Blumhouse/Atomic Monster horror pic Night Swim with $12 million. Audiences and critics soundly found that one to be pretty meh, so expect that one to drop like a rock and quickly. It grabbed a terrible "C" CinemaScore. Third saw Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom hang in there with $10.6 million; fourth place went to Illumination's Migration. That pic is also impressing, as it is holding up well week to week and scored $10.2 million. It may even switch places with Aquaman when the actuals come out tomorrow.

But the talk of the town is Anyone But You. The film is gaining an audience, up +9% this week. It is especially scoring big time during the week, while the weekend takes have been consistent. This week, it rounds out the top five with $9.5 million. Considering the terrible job, Sony did marketing this film, not to mention the terrible release date they moved it to, most wrote it off after its $8 million opening the week of Christmas, another sign that the romantic comedy is dead in theaters. But theatergoers are discovering the great chemistry Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell have, and they are proving to the town that they are stars. Why didn't Sony tell anyone this is a Much Ado About Nothing-style film? When will they learn that is a positive thing, not something to hide? Were they that afraid of turning off the raunchy comedy crowd that they hid one of the film's best assets? Will they make another mistake and not have Sweeney front and center in the ramp-up and marketing for Madame Web next month? I wouldn't put anything past them.

The weekend box office top five for January 5th:

Wonka- $14.4 million
Night Swim- $12 million
Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom- $10.6 million
Migration- $10.2 million
Anyone But You- $9.5 million

Next week, Night Swim will drop like a rock, and all eyes will be on Anyone But You to see if it can hit the top three. Standing in its way is the musical adaptation of Mean Girls, with something to prove, like its existence. I am not sure anything will dethrone Wonka; the real battle will be Sweeny/Powell Vs Mean Girls.

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