Introduction

Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans' festive adventure, *Red One*, has made a notable impact at the box office, landing at the top of Friday’s charts with an impressive nearly $11 million. The big question now hangs in the air: can it reach its ambitious target of a $30 million opening weekend?

Box Office Performance

Amazon MGM Studios sees *Red One* as more of a Saturday and Sunday attraction, rather than a Friday blockbuster. The film faced stiff competition on its opening day, particularly from the highly publicized Mike Tyson-Jake Paul fight streaming on Netflix. Interestingly, data shows that 54% of *Red One*'s opening day ticket buyers were male.

Theatrical Release and Audience Reception

This holiday flick is showing in 4,032 theaters across North America, including premium formats like IMAX and Dolby Cinema. Despite mixed reviews from critics, audiences have reacted positively, awarding it an A- CinemaScore. Initially intended for release on Prime Video, Amazon opted for a theatrical debut in a bid to invigorate box office sales.

Projections and Competition

Looking ahead to a relatively quiet weekend, projections estimate *Red One* could open between $30 million to $35 million domestically. Its international distribution is handled by Warner Bros. Pictures, and it opened to a solid $28 million overseas to steer clear of clashing with Paramount’s *Gladiator II*, which is set to debut internationally this weekend ahead of its domestic release. *Gladiator II* is anticipated to make a staggering $80 million or more in its overseas debut.

Budget and Expectations

The financial performance of *Red One* is under close watch, especially given its hefty production budget of $250 million. If this were a film from a traditional legacy studio, such numbers might draw heavy scrutiny, but Amazon claims its approach is different as it is driven by subscriber growth rather than just box office performance. The company is banking on the film becoming a beloved holiday classic that audiences will watch for years to come.

Genre Significance

However, anything less than a $30 million opening could be seen as disappointing.

Narrative and Cast

*Red One* marks a significant return for the holiday movie genre in theaters, being the first proper Christmas film since *The Grinch* premiered in 2018. The narrative follows Santa Claus—codenamed "Red One," who gets kidnapped, prompting the North Pole’s head of security (played by Johnson) to enlist the help of the world's most notorious bounty hunter (depicted by Evans) in a thrilling escapade to save Christmas.

Creative Team and Rating

Directed by Jake Kasdan and featuring a story by Hiram Garcia, the film boasts a talented ensemble cast that includes Lucy Liu, Kiernan Shipka, Bonnie Hunt, Kristofer Hivju, Nick Kroll, Wesley Kimmel, and J.K. Simmons. It carries a PG-13 rating in the U.S., where critics have been less than kind.

Future Releases

*Red One* is just the first in a lineup of festive releases designed to rejuvenate the box office after a challenging fall season. Following it are Universal’s *Wicked* and Paramount’s *Gladiator II*, both set to debut on November 22, followed by Disney's *Moana 2* on November 27. Many industry insiders are already dubbing this corridor of major releases as the "Moanapocalypse" or "Glicked."

Conclusion

Stay tuned for the updated box office numbers this Sunday—will *Red One* unwrap the success it seeks?