Wonka's Opening Weekend Box Office Numbers Are In

Wonka is off to a stronger-than-expected start in its opening weekend at the box office. The Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory prequel starring Timothee Chalamet as a younger version of the title character, famously played by Gene Wilder in the colorful original film and by Johnny Depp in a darker remake, earned $39 million at the box office in its first weekend. Wonka is riding in on a strong CinemaScore rating and largely positive reviews. ComicBook.com's Kofi Outlaw awarded the film a review score of 4-out-of-5. He writes in his review of Wonka:

"Wonka has a lot going for it, but the screenplay by Simon Farnaby and Paul King does admittedly drag in parts. The premise of the film's story (Willy falling into indentured servitude and having to sell his chocolates in secret) has admirable thematic goals, conveying a story about how such pleasures are best shared and enjoyed by groups, and how Wonka learns that lesson through experience. However, the actual beats of the story begin to feel circular, and by the second act, it's hard to gauge where the story is trying to go. When the plane ultimately gets to the hangar, the point is hammered home in a heartfelt way, yet it doesn't feel like the journey was completed with confidence, instead salvaged in the edit bay. But a salvage job is still a salvage job in the end – and like its titular protagonist, Wonka has just enough magic to pull from some unseen corner of its hat to have fans walk away feeling like the treat was worth it."

Some familiar titles are expected to make up the rest of this weekend's top five films at the box office. They include The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, Godzilla Minus One, The Boy and the Heron, and Trolls Band Together. The list of the top 10 films at the box office this weekend follows.