The 2024 Box Office thread

[Gary]

1	1	Avatar: The Way of Water	$63,444,000	+0.2%	4,202	-	$15,098	$421,561,914	3	20th Century Studios
2	2	Puss in Boots: The Last Wish	$16,310,000	+31.2%	4,121	+22	$3,957	$60,717,330	2	Universal Pictures
3	6	Black Panther: Wakanda Forever	$4,830,000	+38.3%	2,310	+60	$2,090	$437,975,653	8	Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
4	3	Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody	$4,250,000	-10.8%	3,625	-	$1,172	$14,870,000	2	TriStar Pictures
5	4	Babylon	$2,730,000	-24.2%	3,351	+8	$814	$10,139,502	2	Paramount Pictures
6	5	Violent Night	$2,130,000	-39.4%	2,563	+1	$831	$47,520,295	5	Universal Pictures
7	7	The Whale	$1,330,685	+28.1%	623	+20	$2,135	$5,777,882	4	A24
8	8	The Fabelmans	$1,140,000	+53%	1,149	+27	$992	$12,215,220	8	Universal Pictures
9	9	The Menu	$1,070,000	+57.8%	860	+20	$1,244	$36,128,899	7	Searchlight Pictures
10	10	Strange World	$538,000	+30.2%	1,240	-150	$433	$37,029,290	6	Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

I was right about "Puss in Boots" making more money, Next week's the beginning of Jan-Feb "dump months", though I might go see "M3gan" and "Plane" (which, outside of it's hilarious title, seems like the kind if dumb action schlock that's becoming something of a rarity as far as wide releases are concerned.)

Other new releases

16

-

A Man Called Otto

$60,000

-

4

-

$15,000

$60,000

1

Columbia Pictures

22

-

Turn Every Page - The Adventures of Robert Caro and Robert Gottlieb

$12,024

-

2

-

$6,012

$12,024

1

Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE)

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

I literally guffawed IRL when I saw the title the first time I saw the trailer for Plane. It's pretty amazing that Gerard Butler can still carry a theatrical release, even in the January-February wasteland. He just has VOD star energy (and I'm sure he has done some) at this stage of his career. I was pleased to find out @BUTT 's favorite actor Joey Slotnick is in it too. I haven't seen him in years maybe decades.

 

[Gary]

I literally guffawed IRL when I saw the title the first time I saw the trailer for Plane. It's pretty amazing that Gerard Butler can still carry a theatrical release, even in the January-February wasteland. He just has VOD star energy (and I'm sure he has done some) at this stage of his career. I was pleased to find out @BUTT 's favorite actor Joey Slotnick is in it too. I haven't seen him in years maybe decades.

Honestly, I love that he's embraced his current role of being a violent slab of meat in action movie trash. He's likely happy he doesn't have to do shitty rom coms anymore.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

I need 2 more million worldwide!

 

[RedJed]

Big bump for Black Panther 2, nice to see that and Puss in Boots get a nice jump this week. It's actually a bit shocking that BP2 is getting this new wave of interest after being in theaters this long. But I'll take it!

On another subject, and maybe this ties into Avatar's cultural effect we talked about in the other box office thread, but I'm now seeing coming up this weekend that Avatar 2 will be doing 3D showings mainly in different languages. I don't recall a film that is now going to have at least 4 different languages being shown on it here in the Twin Cities area.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

It's actually a bit shocking that BP2 is getting this new wave of interest after being in theaters this long. But I'll take it!

I went to a packed screening two days after Christmas. Combination of people like me who are super casual MCU fans that just didn't make time to see it until the most relaxed week of the year and MCU fans having time to rewatch it cause it's the most relaxed week of the year.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has surpassed Wonder Woman's worldwide gross!

 

[Gary]

1	1	Avatar: The Way of Water	$45,000,000	-33.2%	4,340	+138	$10,368	$516,789,379	4	20th Century Studios
2	-	M3GAN	$30,200,000	-	3,509	-	$8,606	$30,200,000	1	Universal Pictures
3	2	Puss in Boots: The Last Wish	$13,121,000	-22%	3,919	-202	$3,348	$87,706,835	3	Universal Pictures
4	18	A Man Called Otto	$4,200,000	+7,365.7%	637	+633	$6,593	$4,285,480	2	Columbia Pictures
5	3	Black Panther: Wakanda Forever	$3,398,000	-34%	2,255	-55	$1,506	$445,437,616	9	Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
6	4	Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody	$2,401,000	-38.9%	3,184	-441	$754	$19,699,722	3	TriStar Pictures
7	7	The Whale	$1,541,201	+9.4%	835	+212	$1,845	$8,582,731	5	A24
8	5	Babylon	$1,430,000	-45.2%	2,381	-970	$600	$13,523,894	3	Paramount Pictures
9	6	Violent Night	$741,000	-65%	1,981	-582	$374	$49,421,735	6	Universal Pictures
10	8	The Menu	$713,000	-35.2%	800	-60	$891	$37,655,950	8	Searchlight Pictures

"M3GAN" actually made more than what was expected, and a sequel is apparently underway. Also, the new "Avatar" is now the seventh highest grossing movie of all time, so never doubt James Cameron when it comes to box office.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1612419890098364417

I feel like $804.00 is less money than the movie should have made if everyone in the cast and crew bought a ticket.

 

[HarleyQuinn]

M3GAN looked very weird to me but seems to have hit a mark and taken advantage of the January BO window so props there.

 

[RedJed]

We went to it over the weekend and it was a packed theater of mostly teenagers, and sounds like the orignal intention wasn't for this to be geared towards them, but they sure did so and they did cuts of the film to make it PG-13 intentionally. I don't know if social media numbers connected to the younger crowd, but it was the right choice this time for a horror. Apparently there is a more gorier and violent cut out there that may see the light of day according to a few production staff.

This one had more humor than I saw coming, and it played better as a more dark comedy than a horror. I'm down for a sequel.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1613261520145903616

Folks!

 

[Gary]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1613261520145903616

Folks!

Haven't seen the new one (didn't like the first one), but the dismissal people have for it is weird to me. A lot of people like these movies, and the fact it's a rare juggernaut blockbuster that isn't Star Wars or Marvel related is certainly of note.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1614304555096842240

I didn't even know there was a new House Party coming out until I looked up what movies were being released this week a few days ago. And I LOVE the original trilogy.


A Man Called Otto seems like somewhat of a passion project for Hanks so I don't see it having a massive budget. People like cranky old guys and cats so I imagine it being a modest sleeper hit.

 

[JHawk]

I've seen so much advertising for the new House Party that I have no interest in ever seeing it.

 

[Youth N Asia]

Otto’s budget is $50 million. Sure that’s mostly tied to Hanks’ salary. Kinda looks like a movie you can predict at every step.

 

[Gary]

Outside of "The Devil Conspiracy" and "House Party", this January has been surprisingly not bad or bad looking. Plane is getting better reviews than I would've expected, and "M3GAN" is a dump month horror movie that's both an critical and audience favorite.

 

[Gary]

1	1	Avatar: The Way of Water	$31,118,000	-32.1%	4,045	-295	$7,692	$562,919,348	5	20th Century Studios
2	2	M3GAN	$17,910,000	-41.1%	3,605	+96	$4,968	$56,443,510	2	Universal Pictures
3	3	Puss in Boots: The Last Wish	$13,400,000	-1%	3,687	-232	$3,634	$106,369,975	4	Universal Pictures
4	4	A Man Called Otto	$12,550,000	+198.6%	3,802	+3,165	$3,300	$18,773,126	3	Columbia Pictures
5	-	Plane	$10,004,000	-	3,023	-	$3,309	$10,004,000	1	Lionsgate
6	-	House Party	$3,800,000	-	1,400	-	$2,714	$3,800,000	1	Warner Bros.
7	5	Black Panther: Wakanda Forever	$2,184,000	-38%	1,910	-345	$1,143	$449,096,372	10	Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
8	7	The Whale	$1,450,125	-3.6%	1,500	+665	$966	$10,743,065	6	A24
9	6	Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody	$1,100,000	-54.5%	2,205	-979	$498	$21,828,718	4	TriStar Pictures
10	-	Waltair Veerayya	$1,080,000	-	350	-	$3,085	$1,080,000	1	N/A

Other new releases

11

-

Skinamarink

$746,000

-

692

-

$1,078

$746,000

1

IFC Films

14

-

The Devil Conspiracy

$414,000

-

925

-

$447

$414,000

1

-

24

-

Saint Omer

$62,500

-

245

-

$255

$62,500

1

Neon

 

[Gary]

1	1	Avatar: The Way of Water	$20,000,000	-39.1%	3,790	-255	$5,277	$598,276,353	6	20th Century Studios
2	3	Puss in Boots: The Last Wish	$11,500,000	-20.5%	3,611	-76	$3,184	$126,460,470	5	Universal Pictures
3	2	M3GAN	$9,800,000	-46.5%	3,628	+23	$2,701	$73,287,510	3	Universal Pictures
4	-	Missing	$9,300,000	-	3,025	-	$3,074	$9,300,000	1	Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE)
5	4	A Man Called Otto	$9,000,000	-29.8%	3,802	-	$2,367	$35,346,249	4	Columbia Pictures
6	5	Plane	$5,250,000	-48.9%	3,060	+37	$1,715	$19,457,616	2	Lionsgate
7	6	House Party	$1,775,000	-55.5%	1,400	-	$1,267	$7,185,508	2	Warner Bros.
8	-	That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime the Movie: Scarlet Bond	$1,459,515	-	1,473	-	$990	$1,459,515	1	Crunchyroll
9	8	The Whale	$1,281,248	-15.5%	1,591	+91	$805	$13,191,971	7	A24
10	7	Black Panther: Wakanda Forever	$1,255,200	-49.1%	1,591	-319	$788	$451,735,952	11	Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

"Avatar" has made $2 Billion worldwide, so at this point saying "no cultural impact" is a redundant phrase.

Other new releases

15

-

The Son

$239,855

-

554

-

$432

$264,741

1

Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE)

18

-

When You Finish Saving the World

$140,969

-

403

-

$349

$140,969

1

A24

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

I'm not qualified to speak to the cultural impact of the Avatar franchise. I would just like to submit the follow-up question of, when I ask you what resonated with you the most about the Avatar movies, your answer is what?

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Also, shout out to House Party. I don't know when they're going to do it (hopefully this year), but that episode of Cinephobe is going to be incredible.

 

[HarleyQuinn]

M3GAN killing it makes me think that smart studios should throw more horror fare into January/February when there's less competition and an easier route to making a lot of profit if it stands up well. Back in 2019, Escape Room was a surprise hit released in January and made $60 Million more globally than Crawl which was released in mid-July against stiffer competition. It took Crawl 3 weeks to make what Escape Room did in its first 2.

 

[Gary]

I'm not qualified to speak to the cultural impact of the Avatar franchise. I would just like to submit the follow-up question of, when I ask you what resonated with you the most about the Avatar movies, your answer is what?

I think a part of it is 1.) it's been a while since the last one, unlike getting 3 or 4 Marvel movies a year, so there isn't any oversaturation point in the market. That and people want to watch a different blockbuster franchise 2.) love or hate it, Cameron is a real filmmaker and his movies usually make a boatload of cash, as he's one of the architects of the modern blockbuster. Plus, you can tell a movie is from him, unlike something like the "Aladdin" remake, which made a bunch of cash but nobody talked or cared about by the end of the year. One of the most popular attractions at Disneyland is the "Avatar" one. 3.) They look amazing. Compare this to a lot of Marvel movies, which end up on ugly looking, concrete sludge colored backdrops and increasingly dodgy looking CG. I think with this and "Top Gun: Maverick", people want movies that look like, you know, movies instead of product.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Okay so, First of All™, hard disagree on point #3, but I'm not invested enough in the debate to get into that. Second of all, telling me that something is great because it made a ton of cash is borderline tautological: and anyway, I asked what resonated with you about it.

 

[Gary]

Okay so, First of All™, hard disagree on point #3, but I'm not invested enough in the debate to get into that. Second of all, telling me that something is great because it made a ton of cash is borderline tautological: and anyway, I asked what resonated with you about it.

I didn't like the first one, so I haven't seem this one. I'm just pointing out why other people like it. Also, come on, even some fans of Marvel will tell you they wish the movies looked better. Look at this and please tell me it looks better than Avatar

Not all of us are invested in "She Hulk" or the new "Ant-Man" movie or whatever.

 

[909]

The CGI at the end of Black Panther 2 is extremely bad, like indefensibly bad.

 

[Gary]

The CGI at the end of Black Panther 2 is extremely bad, like indefensibly bad.

Even "Dr Strange in the Multiverse of Madness", which I like, had questionable CG. It's not hard to take such a criticism too personally, especially when you know there's some truth to them.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

The CGI at the end of Black Panther 2 is extremely bad, like indefensibly bad.

Okay.

 

[Gary]

Okay.

That's the thing: a movie with that kind of money behind it should look way better than that. That's one of the reasons people love going to "Avatar" and the new "Top Gun": every cent is on the screen, and the people behind it know it should look good and it does. Again, tell me how something like this is a good special effect

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

I didn't like the first one, so I haven't seem this one. I'm just pointing out why other people like it. Also, come on, even some fans of Marvel will tell you they wish the movies looked better.

There's a ton of middle ground between "wish the movies looked better" and "ugly looking, concrete sludge... and increasingly dodgy." And I don't feel the need to compare any Marvel movie to Avatar or Top Gun because, if I'm not engaged by the premise of the movie, I don't care what it looks like.

Look at this and please tell me it looks better than Avatar

I didn't realize that "better looking than Avatar" was where the line was.