“The Color Purple,” Warner Bros.‘ latest release, marked a significant triumph at the box office on Christmas Day, securing $18.1 million. This remarkable achievement places it as the second-highest Christmas Day opening in box office history, a record only surpassed by “Sherlock Holmes” in 2009, which opened to $24.6 million. The film’s success indicates a strong comeback for movie musicals, notably outperforming the opening weekends of other musicals like “In the Heights” and “West Side Story,” which were released during the pandemic reopening phase in 2021 but did not fare well theatrically.
A significant portion of “The Color Purple’s” audience on its opening day were Black viewers, who comprised 65% of the demographic, and audiences over 55, who made up 25%. This older demographic was particularly critical for “West Side Story” but was largely absent during its release due to COVID-19 concerns.
The film has received an overwhelmingly positive response from early audiences, earning an A on CinemaScore and 5/5 on PostTrak. Its Rotten Tomatoes scores are also impressive, with 89% from critics and 94% from the audience. This positive buzz is expected to help the film maintain its momentum and potentially attract a broader audience in January, potentially boosting its chances for awards recognition during the Golden Globes and Oscar nominations.
Other Warner Bros. releases, “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” and “Wonka,” also performed well, securing the second and third spots, respectively, in the box office on the same day. “Aquaman 2,” despite a more modest performance compared to its expectations, notably achieved the highest superhero opening of the year in China. “Wonka” held up better in its second weekend, showing the potential for musicals with the right subject matter and cast to attract audiences.
Overall, “The Color Purple“ led the box office, outperforming even newer releases like “Ferrari“ and “The Boys in the Boat,” further demonstrating the film’s strong appeal and the continuing interest in musical adaptations​.
