The Color Purple | December 25, 2023 | Warner Bros. | Based on the Broadway musical

[AJG]

Good for Fantasia leading a big movie like this. I remember when the media was killing her because she couldn't read.

[Krissykins]

This looks good! 
 

 

Is it just going to gross the same as Cats and West Side Story though? 

[joselowe]

Im going to need a box of tissue in this movie!

[joselowe]

23 minutes ago, Krissykins said:

This looks good! 
 

 

Is it just going to gross the same as Cats and West Side Story though? 

CATS was horrible. This one did amazing in test screenings and I think West Side Story failed because it was still in the middle of the pandemic and lockdowns. It actually hit number 1 at the box office but with only like $11 million.

[Eric Duncan]

Yeah I also see West Side Story numbers tbh. Even ignoring Wonka competition, though I guess their target audiences aren't that similar, the more successful musicals are ones that have more fantastical elements to them and/or significant starpower. Even La La Land had moments where the characters were dancing in the stars and stuff. More grounded (well, grounded for musical standards) and less starry ones like West Side Story or In the Heights don't really cut it. And this one is looking to be more in that vein. 

 

It's the same reason why Elvis or Bohemian Rhapsody made more than the Whitney or James Brown movies. It's all about flash and spectacle don't you know?

[PrinceRico]

Yeah this will be a big hit. Look at that cast and everybody loved the original. 

[filmlover]

Yep, absolutely 100% here for this over the holidays.

[eddyxx]

Ima go with a 100m opening. This will do big in the black community.  A mini black panther.

Edited May 23, 2023 by eddyxx

[joselowe]

This will likely do well because the original made $98 million on a budget of $15 million and was the top grossing rated PG-13 film of 1985 and is a staple in the African American community

Edited May 23, 2023 by joselowe

[WorkingonaName]

This could be big in the US. but I don't really see any global appeal here. $300M.

[DAJK]

I don't see this being a massive hit, but damn does it look good! Very excited for this, I could really see it sweeping awards nominations this year. I gotta agree with @Prince Eric though, sometimes it's about the flashy and glamorous, which is unfortunate, but it's the way box office works sometimes. 

[Krissykins]

9 hours ago, joselowe said:

CATS was horrible. This one did amazing in test screenings and I think West Side Story failed because it was still in the middle of the pandemic and lockdowns. It actually hit number 1 at the box office but with only like $11 million.

There weren’t any lockdowns in America when WSS story came out. 6 of the other top 10 films that weekend were $100m+ grossers.

[JustLurking]

West Side Story's plot in this day and age (the forgiveness scene) is ridiculous. This I think will find more of an audience esp. among black audiences, but pushing it out alongside Wonka, imho, is a weird move by WB, especially if that one is a musical as well. Anyway, I think it will comfortably do better than WSS domestically, not a huge hit or anything but soundly over those numbers. Overseas probably not.

[Eric Duncan]

 

[joselowe]

4 hours ago, Krissykins said:

There weren’t any lockdowns in America when WSS story came out. 6 of the other top 10 films that weekend were $100m+ grossers.

The first public case of Omnicrom was reported the week before the film was released. The movie targeted older people and I think Omnicrom def halted them from seeing it.

[ChipDerby]

Looks terrific. What a year for Halle

[filmlover]

8 hours ago, JustLurking said:

West Side Story's plot in this day and age (the forgiveness scene) is ridiculous. This I think will find more of an audience esp. among black audiences, but pushing it out alongside Wonka, imho, is a weird move by WB, especially if that one is a musical as well. Anyway, I think it will comfortably do better than WSS domestically, not a huge hit or anything but soundly over those numbers. Overseas probably not.

WB having this, Aquaman, and Wonka within the span of less than two weeks is kind of crazy but at the same time the movies are different enough from one another that none of them are likely to cannibalize each other, especially at the time of year where multiple movies aimed at similar demos can easily coexist. 

[movies!movies!]

 

[Jonwo]

I'm thinking that The Color Purple is going to go limited in December followed by a January wide release rather than not play in 2023 at all.

[joselowe]

1 hour ago, Jonwo said:

I'm thinking that The Color Purple is going to go limited in December followed by a January wide release rather than not play in 2023 at all.

I hope not because I’d hate to seee this film go against the Bob Marley movie!