‘Wonka’ Sweeps International Box Office with $43M Overseas Opening; ‘Migration’ Makes Strong Debut in Initial Markets; IMAX Crosses $1B in Global Revenue for 2023.
This past weekend saw the introduction of two new Hollywood films to the international box office. Both Warner Bros/Village Roadshow/Heyday Films’ “Wonka” and Universal/Illumination’s “Migration” embarked on their early offshore rollout, following different release patterns.
“Wonka,” starring Timothée Chalamet, debuted impressively, securing $43.2M across 37 markets, surpassing initial predictions. Directed by Paul King, this origins story/musical ranked first in 32 markets, showing a strong performance. Comparatively, in like-for-like scenarios and utilizing current exchange rates, the film is tracking 95% above Paddington, 77% higher than Mary Poppins Returns, and 50% beyond The Greatest Showman.
In Latin America, “Wonka” dominated, claiming a 63% market share in the region, surpassing the mentioned comparables by 232%, 145%, and 129%, respectively. Similarly, in Europe, the movie secured the top spot in every market where it launched.
As anticipated, the UK emerged as a key market, generating $11.1M in sales, capturing a 73% market share among the Top 5. This marks the second-largest opening for a Warner Bros film in 2023 and the fourth-largest industry opening of the year. The film’s results have exceeded those of all the comparable movies.
“Wonka” also exhibited strong performances in Mexico with $5.2M, surpassing several comparable films such as Jumanji: The Next Level.
The movie’s opening in Spain at $4.4M ranked first, claiming a 34% share among the Top 5, and emerged as the fifth-largest industry opening of 2023. Notably, it outpaced various films such as Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, and Sing 2.
In Germany, “Wonka” secured a No. 1 start at $3.6M with a 34% market share, performing well against similar films.
The film also opened in China, ranking among the Top 5 with $3.2M, ahead of another U.S. release, Migration. However, challenges persist due to the prevalent flu and cold weather affecting families. Despite this, the opening surpassed The Little Mermaid by 29% and Dial of Destiny by 41%. Notably, audience ratings on Maoyan and Taopiaopiao are high at 9.3, while Douban records 7.6. IMAX screenings accounted for 16% of the total opening weekend grosses across 737 screens.
Additionally, IMAX crossed the $1B mark at the global box office for 2023, highlighting audience preferences for premium cinematic experiences.
Meanwhile, “Migration” followed a staggered release pattern, opening in 18 markets. Initial market results show promise, and the film grossed $6.5M in its first opening markets, closely aligned with Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. Strong reviews and positive audience reception were observed in several territories, such as France, Italy, China, Belgium, UAE, and Saudi Arabia.
Next weekend will witness seven additional markets, including Mexico, for “Migration.”
In other box office updates, Ridley Scott’s “Napoleon” secured $16.1M from 64 markets, bringing the international cume to $117.7M and the global total to $170.8M. Disney’s “Wish” experienced a 34% drop in its third frame, with international figures reaching $56.1M for a global total of $105.5M. Lionsgate’s “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes” amassed $11M internationally, totaling $143.3M offshore and $279M globally. Additionally, “Animal” collected $18.4M worldwide, reaching a total of $84.6M, while Korea’s “12.12: The Day” grossed $51M domestically, making it the second-biggest local title and the third overall for the year.