'Wonder Woman 1984' fails to impress cinegoers worldwide

Wonder Woman 1984 failed to leave a mark at the box office as it opened to a less than heroic $18.8 million in China, and a disappointing $38.5 million overseas. 

That’s far less than the $38 million that the first Wonder Woman grossed in its opening weekend in China and likely means that the follow-up will earn far less than the $90.5 million that its predecessor pulled in from the country over the course of its run.

China is one of the few theatrical markets where moviegoing had shown signs of life during a public health catastrophe, but revenues around the country were still down 30%.

Wonder Woman 1984 wasn’t the only blockbuster hopeful that sputtered. The Rescue, a Chinese action movie, made just under $36 million in its initial weekend. That’s far below projections and could mean the film will lose money.

Wonder Woman 1984 was intended to be one of the holiday season’s biggest releases, but with coronavirus cases rising, Warner Bros. has opted to debut the film in the US on HBO Max when it opens in cinemas on December 25. - Reuters