Warner Bros. gives ‘Furiosa,’ ‘Color Purple’ 2023 release dates as ‘Monster Hunter’ tops briefly

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As the North America box office continues it’s dismal decline during the pandemic, all eyes were on how “Wonder Woman 1984” did in China. Naysayers gleefully reported that the Gal Gadot sequel sputters out with a $38.5 million foreign start.

Milla Jovovich’s “Monster Hunter,” was able to best “The Croods” over the weekends, but it quickly fell to second place on Monday.

North America Box Office

Actual ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Box office number courtesy of Box Office Mojo.

1. “Monster Hunter” $2.2 million.

2. “The Croods: A New Age,” $2.1 million.

3. “Fatale,” $918.112.

4. “Elf,” 2020 Re-release $365,000.

5. “Half Brothers,” $271,605.

6. “The Polar Express 2020 Re-release,” $231,000.

7. “Freaky,” $174,905.

8. “The War with Grandpa,” $170,816.

9. “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation 2020 Re-release,” $166,000.

10. “How the Grinch Stole Christmas 2020 Re-release,” $130,000.

11. “Come Play,” $118,660.

12. “The Grinch 2020 Re-release,” $115,000.

13. “Tenet,” $95,000.

14. “The Muppet Christmas Carole,” (Re-release) $92,000.

wonder woman 1984 box office number breakdown

Wonder Woman Global Numbers Not So Hot

The first “Wonder Woman” pulled in $38 million in its first weekend in China. The sequel brought in just $18.8 million, making it less likely to bring in the $90.5 million it made during its first run there. Revenues around the country were down 30 percent, which caused the Chinese action movie “The Rescue” to perform far under projections. It brought in under $36 million during its opening weekend.

The film, directed by Patty Jenkins, started its rollout abroad last week, opening in 32 markets including China and playing on upwards of 30,000 screens. The studio said admissions totaled over 6 million and that the largely positive reviews bode well for its future.

Most of the earnings came from Chinese theaters, where it earned an estimated $18.8 million. It wasn’t enough to take first place in the country, however — that honor went to a local release.

HBO Max

Wonder Woman 1984” won’t open in U.S. theaters until Christmas Day, when it will also debut on HBO Max. The pandemic has forced studios like Warner Bros. to embrace unconventional release plans to get films out to audiences.

Originally, “Wonder Woman 1984” was supposed to open in theaters worldwide this summer, but its release date kept getting pushed back. The first film made over $821 million worldwide in 2017 and absent the pandemic, the hope was that the sequel, which cost around $200 million to make, would even surpass that total.

Warner Bros. has tried a few different strategies with its films this year, including releasing “Tenet” in theaters and sending “The Witches” straight to HBO Max. Finally last month the studio decided to embrace a hybrid release for “Wonder Woman 1984.” “Tenet” opened internationally first as well, taking off with $53 million from 41 markets in late August.

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Warner Bros. Announces 3 2023 Theatrical Releases: Furiosa, Color Purple, Coyote vs. Acme

Warner Bros. did announce on Wednesday theatrical release dates for three of its films, including “ George Miller’s “Mad Max: Fury Road” prequel entitled “Furiosa,” the family film “Coyote vs Acme,” and a musical version of “The Color Purple.

“Furiosa” will hit on June 23, 2023, “Coyote vs. Acme,” debuts on July 21 2023 and “The Color Purple” hits the big screen during the holiday season 2023. Tentatively scheduled for December 20.

Earlier in December, Warner Bros. shared plans to premiere its entire 2021 slate — including “The Matrix 4,” “Dune” and “The Suicide Squad” — simultaneously on the company’s streaming service HBO Max and in movie theaters. The studio called the unprecedented release strategy, one that drew criticism from all corners of Hollywood, a “unique one-year” model in response to the pandemic. Wednesday’s announcement suggests that Warner Bros. intends to continue its commitment to theatrical releases. Chris Hemsworth and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II will join Taylor-Joy in “Furiosa,” which takes place before 2015’s sci-fi epic “Mad Max: Fury Road.” Miller, the filmmaker behind 1979’s “Mad Max” and its three sequels, is returning to direct, write and produce “Furiosa,” along with his longtime producing partner Doug Mitchell.

Coyote vs. Acme

Dave Green is directing “Coyote vs. Acme,” centering on the age-old rivalry between Wile E. Coyote and his preferred mail order supplier. “Guardians of the Galaxy” director James Gunn is co-writing the screenplay, based on Ian Frazier’s fictional New Yorker magazine article of the same name. Chris DeFaria and Gunn will produce, the latter under his company Two Monkeys, A Goat and Another, Dead, Monkey production banner.

“The Color Purple” is being adapted from the Tony-winning musical and 1985 film. Blitz Bazawule is directing the upcoming version, which will be produced by Oprah Winfrey and Steven Spielberg. The film, which has yet to be cast, tells the story of Celie, a Black woman living in the South in the early 20th century who learns her self-worth through the help of two friends.

Spielberg directed the original film adaptation of “The Color Purple” in the ’80s, which starred Danny Glover, Whoopi Goldberg and Winfrey. The coming-of-age story, adapted from Alice Walker’s 1982 novel, was turned into a Broadway musical in 2005.