Deadline’s most valuable blockbuster tournament is back. While studios enthusiastically embraced the day-and-date model of cinema during the Corona crisis when theaters were closed, they soon realized that there is nothing more profitable than a theatrical release and the downstreams that come with it. If anything, cinema is the advertisement of a film’s longevity in later home entertainment windows. In 2023, streamers like Apple joined the discussion, who also recognized the need for theater to eventize their films. The financial data compiled here for Deadline’s most valuable blockbuster tournament is selected from experienced and trustworthy sources.
THE FILM
Wonka
Warner Bros
When moviegoers returned after the coronavirus crisis, movie musicals were considered dead after the dismal performances of feature films of Broadway musicals West Side Story, dear Evan Hansen And In the heights. Then it comes Wonka, An original musical with songs by Divine Comedy lead singer Neil Hannon, this latest on-screen version of the Roald Dahl classic grosses $632.3 million at the global box office, surpassing the final results of Tim Burton’s directed film with Johnny Depp from 2005 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ($474.9 million), bringing the total Warner Bros. franchise to $1.1 billion. Former Warner Bros. production and development president Courtenay Valenti had long been working to regain the rights to the Dahl character from the author’s estate (notwithstanding the side deal with Netflix), and in October 2016 they accomplished the feat . The essence was to make a musical reminiscent of Gene Wilder’s original 1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, But the studio also wanted to delve into Wonka’s origins and how he became the candy titan. Paddington Franchise filmmaker Paul King was hired as director, and he was successful dune Superstar Timothée Chalamet was cast in the title role by the filmmaker after watching the actor’s high school performances on YouTube.
THE BOX SCORE
THE CONCLUSION
What’s the trick to being successful with a musical on the big screen? You have to hide it from the audience in marketing and trick them, in this case to the tune of $140 million in P&A. Once in the theater, audiences will either love it or hate it, and some loved it, such as during the end-of-year holidays: Wonkawhich hit US theaters on December 15th, was #1 in three of its first four weekends in the BO (note: the only time it was #2 was when Warner Bros. opened DC’s Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom over Christmas; Wonka decimated this sequel in both the US and US [$218.4M vs. $124.4M] And worldwide [$632.3M vs. $434.4M] coin.) The current Warner Bros. feature administration of Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy was so enthusiastic Wonka, they began showing it to the media before Thanksgiving to generate word of mouth; Exhibitors got a taste of the musical at CinemaCon in April. Also work in WonkaIts advantage was the actors’ strike, which ended on November 8th and allowed the film to kickstart a real PR tour with a world premiere in London and another in Los Angeles. Chalamet also sang the film’s song “Pure Imagination” during his strike Saturday Night Live Hosting gig on November 11th. The $150 million in streaming revenue includes the money Warner Bros. paid itself to offer the film on its Max streaming service. Wonka was a great success together with Chalamet Dune: Part Two (combined global BO for both titles at $1.3 million) that the Burbank, California, negotiated a first-look feature film deal with the Oscar-nominated actor. The end result is $182 million in net profit, proving that musicals are still very much alive.
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The most valuable film blockbuster of 2023