‘Wonka’ waltzes to $39 million opening, propelled by Chalamet’s starring role

By JAKE COYLE
AP Film Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — “Wonka” debuted with $39 million in box office sales in the U.S. and Canada over the weekend. It’s a strong start for the musical starring Timothée Chalamet as Willy Wonka, and underscores Chalamet’s drawing power. Musicals have been tough sells in theaters in recent years, so much so that Warner Bros. downplayed the song and dance elements of “Wonka” in trailers. Instead, the studio emphasized Chalamet, the 27-year-old actor. “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” again ranked second with $5.8 million in its fifth week of release. Hayao Miyazaki’s “The Boy and the Heron,” dipped to third with $5.1 million.