The 2023 holiday box office has kicked off in earnest as the Timothee Chalamet-fronted “Wonka” is now in theaters, grossing $3.5 million from over 3,400 screens during Thursday previews.
This is well above the $325,000 that director Paul King’s last film, “Paddington 2,” made from Thursday previews in 2018 and above the $2.5 million mid-week opening day of “The Greatest Showman,” which hit theaters in 2017 without previews.
Warner Bros. is hoping for strong word-of-mouth that will give “Wonka” a “Greatest Showman”-esque run for weeks to come, as that film grossed $173 million in 2017. “Wonka” will need those legs, as it is projected for a $35-40 million domestic opening against a reported $125 million budget.
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