Babylon
Drama Paramount R 3h 8m Released Dec 23, 2022 Discussed 2022–2023
Opening weekend
$3.6M
3,343 theaters
Per-theater average
$1,078
opening weekend
Domestic total
$16.6M
4.6× its opening
Worldwide total
$64.3M
26% domestic
Production budget
$80.0M
0.8× worldwide
RT critics
57%
RT audience
53%
-4 vs critics
Metacritic
61
Where it turns up
Friday, November 18, 2022 Third weekend of November 2022
In the note
This week there was a screening of Babylon, and I found the reactions to the film aligned with those two groups.
Monday, December 26, 2022 Christmas Day 2022
On the chart Babylon (Christmas Day): +150% day-over-day
In the note
But even though these increases from yesterday are better than normal, we'll need a similar jump tomorrow for the movies that opened Friday in order to get back to 'normal'. Rogue One Was up 48%. Sing 2 was up 45%. Passengers was up 134% And here’s what today looks like. Avatar: The Way of Water - Up 81% Puss in Boots The Last Wish - Up 79% Babylon - Up 150% I Wanna Dance with Somebody - Up 123% The Whale - Up 128%
Friday, December 30, 2022 New Year's weekend 2022
Expected 'A 3 day of about 3 million' Actual: $2.6M
In the note
So figure a 3 day in the low/mid 4’s and a 4 day around 5. Babylon - Same story here as Whitney, looking normal for NYE weekend, but it started so low last week.
Friday, January 6, 2023 First weekend of January 2023
Expected 'The two lowest drops on the sheet' Actual: The Whale +7% (best on the chart); Babylon -46% (among the worst)
In the note
Both The Whale and Babylon are showing their polarizing qualities, although % wise they have the two lowest drops on the sheet.
Friday, December 15, 2023 Third weekend of December 2023
In the note
Last year, we saw two films where everyone dies (or commits suicide), Babylon and Whitney Houston; both struggled out of the gate at Christmas and never clawed their way back. Good films are good films are good films, and the audience for the big city upscale films has no issue with challenging emotional narratives, so the time period is still ripe for award positioned rollouts.