Despite all the negativity surroundingRed One,the new holiday film easily won the weekendbox officewith $34.1 million domestically.Chris EvansandDwayne Johnson’s Christmas collaboration has been utterly lambasted by the critics, but moviegoers didn’t let those scathing reviews stop them from scooping up tickets. And while director Jake Kasdan’s movie registered a mere 33% on the Tomatometer, fans clearly supported the new Amazon MGM Studios venture.
Theatergoers coming right out of cinemas gaveRed Onean impressive “A-” CinemaScore, which measured in stark contrast to the aforementioned 33% the film received from critics onRotten Tomatoes(120 reviews). Meanwhile, the Popcornmeter, formerly the RT audience score, also revealed that moviegoers thoroughly enjoyed Evans and Johnson’s Christmas collaboration, with a score of 89% against 1,000+ verified ratings — a full 56 points higher than that dismal Tomatometer grade.
Overseas,Red Oneentered its second weekend of release, and the film brought in an additional $50 million internationally. As a result, Evans and Johnson’s big-screen team-up has made a worldwide total of $84 million. However, whileRed Onewill undoubtedly go on to become a streaming success, as Amazon hoped, the Christmas movie still has a long way to go when it comes to recouping its $250 million production budget — to say nothing of its marketing and advertising costs.
The Box Office Blues Will Soon End
Thankfully,Red One’sarrival helped elevate the weekend’s overall numbers, so the box office didn’t post anotherfinancial low for the fall of 2024.Overall, all titles managed to make $71.4 million domestically, but if it weren’t for the holiday film’s $34.1 million, the theater industry could have taken it on the chin midway through November. By comparison, when stacked up against Evans and Johnson’s Christmas collaboration,No. 2Venom: The Last Danceonly brought in $7.4 million.
Lionsgate’sThe Best Christmas Pageant Everchecked in at No. 3 ($5.4 million), while Hugh Grant’s horrifyingHeretictook the No. 4 slot ($5.2 million). And Universal’sThe Wild Robotrounded out the Top 5 with $4.3 million. In addition toRed One,only one other newcomer managed to crack the Top 10 and that would beHello, Love, Again. Director Cathy Garcia-Sampana’s intriguing rom-dram managed to win the No. 8 spot with $2.4 million, and it’s a film fans were raving about on Rotten Tomatoes: 96% Popcornmeter.
7 Box Office Bombs From 2024 That Became Streaming Hits
Despite their abysmal box office numbers, some of 2024’s biggest flops have found new life on streaming.
All We Imagine as Lightdebuted in limited release (3 venues), but still boasted the weekend’s highest per-theater average at $17,000. Now, with the exception ofBeetlejuice BeetlejuiceandVenom 3,it’s been a pretty uneventful fall movie season financially. However, the box office business will soon start booming and just in time for Thanksgiving.
The long-awaited adaptation of the Broadway hitWickedis forecast to make a gravity-defying killingat the box office, ($80+ million), as is its competition,Gladiator II($65 million). In fact, director Ridley Scott’s follow-up to the origianlGladiatorhas already made $87 million during its international debut.Both blockbuster hopefuls will hit theaters on Nov. 22,but the fall’s biggest family film will arrive the following week on Wednesday, Nov. 27, asMoana 2is predicted to make well over $100 million domestically over the 5-day holiday weekend.
After Santa Claus is kidnapped, the North Pole’s Head of Security (Dwayne Johnson) must team up with a notorious bounty hunter (Chris Evans) in a thrilling, globe-spanning mission to save Christmas. This action-packed holiday adventure mixes comedy and festive magic, with an ensemble cast that includes Lucy Liu and J.K. Simmons.
