Movie theaters nationwide were filled with film enthusiasts wanting to check out the end-of-year lineup.
According to Deadline, the domestic box office amassed $281.4 million during Christmas week, a 14-percent jump from Dec. 23-29 of last year ($246.4). The holiday competition was thick, as Dec. 25 marked the release of musical drama The Color Purple and sports drama biopic Ferrari, while Wonka, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, American Fiction, Anyone But You, The Iron Claw and Migration were released just days before.
Taking the top spot this week was Aquaman with $58.3 million, although the film's star Jason Momoa recently admitted to Entertainment Tonight that he was unsure of the franchise's future. Trailing Aquaman was Wonka, Timothée Chalamet's debut as the fictional chocolate factory owner. During the film's second week, it earned $53.1 million, along with leading all movies Thursday with $8 million. In total, Wonka boasts $110.6 million domestically, currently more than any other flick this season.
Although The Color Purple saw some tension among moviegoers this week, the Oprah Winfrey-produced film saw a four-day gross of $32.3 million in its first four days. On its inaugural release date, The Color Purple grossed more than $18 million domestically, the biggest U.S. Christmas opening in nearly 15 years, per Variety. Stars Fantasia Barrino, Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks and Colman Domingo have also gotten Oscar buzz for their roles in the film.
Wonka, Aquaman 2 and The Color Purple are estimated to gross roughly $20 million each during the New Year's holiday.
