‘Wonka’ Ends 2023 by Besting ‘Aquaman 2’ at the Box Office

Wonka is ending 2023 back on top of the domestic box office, besting Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom in the year’s final week.

The Timothée Chalamet-led musical fantasy pulled in $23.9 million over the weekend and an estimated $31 million through New Year’s Day, according to Variety.

That was enough to top Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, which seems to be quickly losing steam. The Jason Momoa vehicle sank to second with $19.5 million over the weekend and an estimated $26 million through New Year’s Day, falling to match the success of the 2018 blockbuster Aquaman.

The film, with a budget of $204 million, has grossed $84 million in the U.S and $258 million around the world after two weeks in theaters becoming the latest Warner Bros./DC studios superhero film to underperform in theaters, following lackluster showings from The Flash, Shazam! Fury of the Gods and Blue Beetle.

Wonka, on the other hand, has more impressive numbers, especially if you consider it had a $100 million budget. The film that tells the backstory of the eccentric candymaker has brought in $142 million in the U.S. with a worldwide haul of $386.9 million.

Although this holiday season at the box office was a disappointment, ticket sales from Christmas to New Year’s were adequate enough to push domestic grosses for the year past the $9 billion mark for the first time since the COVID pandemic slammed the movie theater business. While 2023’s take is far below the pre-pandemic highs of $10 billion to $11 billion annually, this year’s numbers are a big jump over 2022’s $7.46 billion total and 2021’s $4.56 billion take.