Daniel Craig in Glass Onion
Netflix’s ‘Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery’ Throws Intrigue on Thanksgiving Weekend Box Office
November 25, 2022
Disney/Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is expected again to dominate the Nov. 27 weekend box office through the Thanksgiving holiday. Wakanda Forever is projected to add more than $58 million and narrow the gap to the No. 2 grossing movie of the year: Disney/Marvel’s Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Separately, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, the sequel to the popular 2019 Knives Out, and the first ever Netflix movie to debut across all three major U.S. theatrical chains — AMC, Regal and Cinemark — including additional select theaters worldwide, offers some intrigue.
The movie again is headlined by Daniel Craig with a new supporting cast featuring Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., Jessica Henwick, Madelyn Cline with Kate Hudson and Dave Bautista.
The original movie (distributed by Lionsgate) generated almost $313 million in revenue, including a $26.7 million North American debut. Those numbers are not expected for Glass Onion since the movie is screening in a reportedly low 700 theaters nationwide. Netflix, which continues to maintain a streaming-first distribution strategy, will begin streaming the sequel beginning Dec. 23. Still, a strong box office (estimated at $15 million over five days) could generate Netflix significant incremental revenue as well strong momentum and press ahead of the streaming window.
Meanwhile, Disney’s animated Strange World is projected to finish No. 2 over the holiday weekend with more than $19 million in ticket sales across about 4,000 screens. The movie is largest animated big screen movie in theaters since Warner Bros. Pictures Animation’s DC League of Super-Pets in July. The movie is projected to generate upwards of $35 million over the extended weekend.
The other release features Sony/Columbia Pictures’ interracial fighter-pilot-themed drama, Devotion, with $10 million in projected ticket sales. The movie is based on Jesse Brown, the first Black aviator in U.S. Navy history, and his enduring friendship with fellow fighter pilot Tom Hudner.