The Color Purple hit all the right notes with moviegoers, to easily beat Aquaman and Wonka at the Christmas Day box office.
The movie musical arrived in theaters on Dec. 25, and brought in a stellar $18.1 million, according to box office tracking website, The-numbers.com. That was the best Christmas Day opening since Sherlock Holmes starring Robert Downey Jr., which set a holiday record with $24.6 million in 2009.
The Color Purple played in 3,152 locations across the U.S. and Canada, for a per theater average of $5,758.
Audiences embraced the film, giving it an “A” CinemaScore. It also received strong reviews from critics with an 89 percent score on RottenTomatoes.
Related Story: Fantasia Initially Declined ‘The Color Purple’ Movie Role to Avoid Reliving Past Trauma
Superhero saga Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom won the Friday-Sunday weekend frame, but slipped to second place on Monday with $10.6 million. It was followed by family adventure Wonka in third place with $10.3 million. All three films were released by Warner Bros.
Based on Alice Walker’s 1982 novel, The Color Purple is described as a “modern take” on the classic drama.
Set in rural Georgia in the 1930s, the film tells the story of a group of Black women who rely on their sisterhood as they deal with hardship and trauma.
Fantasia Barrino leads the cast as Celie, who endured physical and sexual abuse at the hands of her father and later her husband. Danielle Brooks co-stars as Sofia and Taraji P. Henson plays Shug Avery.
Phylicia Pearl Mpasi portrays young Celie, alongside Halle Bailey as her sister, young Nettie. The cast also includes Corey Hawkins, Colman Domingo, Deon Cole, David Alan Grier, Louis Gossett Jr., Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, H.E.R., Ciara, and Jon Batiste.
Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, Scott Sanders and Quincy Jones produced the film, which was directed by Blitz Bazawule.
Winfrey led the promotional campaign and hosted a one-hour special on OWN, that included interviews with the cast and creative team to celebrate the making of the movie.
Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel was first adapted into a 1985 feature film directed by Steven Spielberg. Whoopi Goldberg played Celie, Winfrey co-starred as Sofia, and Margaret Avery played Shug. The film was nominated for 11 Academy Awards. Goldberg has a cameo in the new movie.
While the original film relied heavily on the book, the new film features rousing song and dance numbers, inspired by the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical.
Fantasia Barrino and Danielle Brooks had roles in the Broadway production.
The songs in the new film, “Superpower (I)” featuring Fantasia and “Keep It Movin’” — performed and co-written by Halle Bailey — just made the shortlist of Oscar contenders in the best original song category. The film’s score, composed by Kris Bowers, made the shortlist in the best original score category.
Finalists in the categories will be announced when the 96th Oscar nominations are unveiled on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024.
18 milldo is a win? Pn what planet??