LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – In the slow month of January at the box office, “Wonka” continues to dominate, claiming the first place for the fourth consecutive weekend with $15 million in ticket sales. However, a new supernatural thriller called “Night Swim,” produced by Jason Blum and James Wan, managed to secure the second spot with a moderate debut of $12 million from 3,200 theaters across North America.
Despite its lower box office numbers, “Night Swim” has a lower production cost of $15 million, making it a potentially profitable venture for Universal. However, the film has received negative feedback from both audiences and critics. It currently holds a disappointing 27% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and received a “C” CinemaScore. The storyline revolves around a family who discovers a haunting presence in the swimming pool of their new home. This film marks the first release from the merged companies of Blumhouse and Atomic Monster, known for producing popular horror franchises like “Paranormal Activity” and “The Conjuring.”
Internationally, “Night Swim” failed to make a significant impact, collecting only $5.7 million from 36 markets, bringing its global tally to $17.7 million. Despite the mixed reviews, industry experts believe that the film has the potential to be profitable due to Blumhouse’s disciplined budget approach.
Meanwhile, Warner Bros.’ musical comedy, “Wonka,” starring Timothée Chalamet as the eccentric chocolatier, has generated $165 million worldwide since its Christmas release, making it the only holiday film with staying power at the box office.
In third place, the animated comedy “Migration” by Universal and Illumination Entertainment earned $10.5 million from 3,712 venues. The film tells the story of a family of lost ducks during their winter journey south. So far, “Migration” has collected $78 million domestically and $150 million worldwide, surpassing its $70 million production cost.
Warner Bros. and DC’s comic book sequel, “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom,” secured the fourth spot with $10.4 million. Despite having a budget of $205 million, the film has underperformed expectations, still struggling to cross the $100 million mark domestically after three weeks of release.
Rounding out the top five is Sony’s R-rated comedy, “Anyone but You,” which earned $9.5 million from 3,055 theaters. Starring Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell, the film has accumulated a decent $43.7 million over three weeks on the big screen.
In other news, A24’s sports drama, “The Iron Claw,” has surpassed the $20 million mark at the domestic box office. The film, which tells the story of the Von Erich family in the professional wrestling industry, has earned $24.3 million so far, exceeding its $16 million production cost.
Despite a lackluster overall performance in the sluggish box office market, “Wonka” continues to dominate, while “Night Swim” and “Migration” also attracted audiences, showing potential for profitability. The trend of low box office numbers in January is consistent, as moviegoers wait for more anticipated releases in the coming months.