LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 06: (L-R) (L-R) Kris Bowers, Stephen Bray, Adetinpo Thomas, Deon Cole, Brenda Russell, Blitz Bazawule, Danielle Brooks, Alice Walker, Alicia Keys, Ciara and Fantasia Barrino-Taylor, Colman Domingo, Gabriella Wilson aka H.E.R., Taraji P. Henson, Phylicia Pearl Mpasi, David Alan Grier, Corey Hawkins, Scott Sanders, and Steven Spielberg attend the World Premiere of Warner Bros.' "The Color Purple" at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on December 06, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.
In just two days, the film adaptation of "The Color Purple" musical, based on the 2015 Broadway revival of the same name, has smashed through the $25 million mark.
As reported by Vanity, this incredible pace is preceded by its milestone of tying the Christmas Day box office record with "Les Miserables" at $18 million last Monday, Dec. 25, nearly reaching the coveted title of all-time biggest earner on a holiday opening.
The movie has earned another whopping $7 million, a day after its release, which is quite unprecedented in recent December musical releases. One comparable project would be the 2017 movie "The Greatest Showman." However, it was comparably a slow starter that didn't break the $25 million mark until its second week in the cinemas.
In terms of 2-day domestic totals that come close to "The Color Purple," the nearest contender would be 2021's "West Side Story" with its $7.9 million.
As it stands, the current domestic projections for "The Color Purple" musical point towards a total domestic earning of around $100 million, which is based on the common trend with holiday releases raking in about ten times their opening day sale.
Read More: Taiwan-Based Band Dharma Underscores Buddhist Mantras With Heavy Death Metal Riffs
What is 'The Color Purple' Film About?
The Oprah Winfrey-produced film is the latest addition to a series of successful adaptations, in varying mediums, of the original Pulitzer Prize-winning 1982 novel by Alice Walker. The film tells the tale of a love that perseveres through even the toughest of challenges, underscored by an orchestration that pulls inspiration from gospel, jazz, ragtime, and blues.
Its story follows a gripping family drama set in the early-20th century American South, surrounding the uplifting character of "Celie," played by Fantasia Barrino, as she navigates past her younger years across joyous and sad moments, through hope and despair, by discovering the transformative ability of love within life.
The new film adaptation stars Taraji P. Henson, Halle Bailey, Calman Domingo, Corey Hawkins, and the singer-songwriter H.E.R., to name a few, as led by "Black is King" director Blitz Bazawule with music and lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray.
This movie is also headlined by Danielle Brookes who reprises her role as "Sofia," the stepdaughter-in-law of "Celie," following her portrayal of the same character in the Broadway revival of the IP.
