A Jolly Christmas Box Office Closes the Year

 While the Christmas Box Office may not have delivered on everything we hoped for- most notably, Aquaman 2 had a rather dismal showing- it still managed to end the year on a high note  Brandon Blake, our entertainment attorney from Blake & Wang P.A. unpacks what the final box office milestone of 2023 brought to the table.



Brandon Blake

A 14% Rise From 2022

Christmas 2023 delivered on two fronts with its $281.4M in takings. Firstly, that’s 14% above the same period in 2022, and that’s always good news. Secondly, it delivered just enough to push the 2023 domestic box office total over the coveted $9B mark. All off the back of family-heavy fare (though some diversity was still present) and no real huge tentpole, either.

 

While Aquaman 2 may not have had the support it was hoping for, it still managed to deliver $58.3M in takings. Luckily, Wonka wasn’t far behind, adding $53.1M to the overall kitty in its second week. The hold on this film has been reasonably solid over the last few weeks, too.

Overall Results

While Aquaman 2 may have had an underwhelming performance to date, it is still tracking ahead of The Marvels. Not that that is particularly hard. Illumination and Universal’s animated flick, Migration, put in a strong second week with a great hold, too. And Trolls Band Together is well set to cross the $100M mark in its run. The Color Purple has done well for a musical, too, with a 4-day total of $32.3M over the weekend. Let’s give honorable mentions to Sony’s Anyone but You and Amazon MGM’s The Boys in the Boat for solid niche performances, too.

 

All in all, while it could have been better (as always), the Christmas-New Year box office delivered a solid performance and reiterated many of the lessons 2023 drove home. True box office success lies in a good mix of films, at all budget points, strong slates, and a variety of programming. Now, on to 2024 and the hopes of another year of strong performances and positive takings!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Ad-Supported Tiers Are Winning, But Why Are Streamers So Keen?

Image
 As a spate of price increases touch all but the ad-supported tiers of most of the major streaming players, it’s clear the streaming world has thoroughly embraced the ad-tier model as a key driver of future streaming growth. But with so many streamers actively pushing new subscribers to their cheaper plans, what’s the secret? And how will this help them achieve that coveted profitability?One of the best entertainment lawyers Los Angeles Brandon Blake, from Blake & Wang P.A, takes a closer look. Brandon Blake Broader Audiences It’s no news that the wider market- Wall Street in particular- has finally realized that the pandemic-spurred boom in subscription numbers is unsustainable. Premium tiers may deliver premium features, but at a time when most households are looking for ways to cut costs, they’re less attractive than they once were. For many, this means a cheaper offering with only a little less convenience looks a whole lot more attractive. What is quite interesting is tha
Read more

Fall Film Festival Acquisitions to Know

Image
 With the traditional red carpet promenade severely limited by strike action, the fall film festival circuit gave indie movies a near-unprecedented chance to shine to buyers. While some jitteriness around the SAG-AFTRA waiver system caused slower-than-normal sales and some of the larger AMPTP distributors to opt for a ‘wait and see’ policy, there have been some strong acquisitions to keep on your radar. Entertainment lawyer Brandon Blake, of Blake & Wang P.A., highlights just a few to watch. Brandon Blake Festival and Post-Festival Sales Of the titles acquired during the festival itself, we see Sing Sing (to A24) headed to 2024 theatrical release in a seven-figure deal. Sorry/Not Sorry (Greenwich Entertainment) and Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World (Wavelengths)also attracted considerable festival attention. Despite the quiet market overall for documentaries, Netflix took home Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa alongside Women of the Hour as the fi
Read more

The Sticky Question of Residuals: Could Netflix Have the Answer?

Image
 Has there been any more contentious issue in the entertainment industry this year than that of residuals? One potential solution to this thorny issue lies in the success-based residual metrics already employed in parts of Europe- ironically, and most notably, by Netflix themselves. Brandon Blake, entertainment lawyer Los Angeles from Blake & Wang P.A, takes a look at this most unusual development. Brandon Blake The European Model Where European copyright legislation and Netflix meet, there could be middle ground. Netflix has already established several collective streamer residual agreements in European countries, from France to Germany, and Scandinavia. These agreements offer additional compensation to creators for well-performing content. However, the level of transparency regarding compensation details remains a concern for both unions and streamers.   It’s no secret that European entertainment markets are more heavily regulated than others, with EU law mandating regi
Read more