Alexander Skarsgård and Olivia Colman's fantasy romance Wicker is officially saying goodbye to more than 500 theaters this week, marking a significant shift in its theatrical run. The film, which has been a sleeper hit this fall, is now playing in fewer than 2,000 locations nationwide as it prepares for its digital debut later this month.
Wicker has been one of the season's most unexpected success stories. Distributed by Black Bear Pictures, a studio that hadn't seen a major domestic hit in the past year, the film defied expectations with its opening weekend and continued to hold strong in subsequent weeks. Black Bear's recent slate included the sports drama Christy, the Jason Statham actioner Shelter, Guy Ritchie's In the Grey, and the Matthew McConaughey-led neo-Western The Rivals of Amziah King. None of those films made a splash like Wicker has.
The movie, directed by Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson, blends romance, fantasy, and a touch of the surreal, drawing comparisons to Guillermo del Toro's Oscar-winning The Shape of Water. It stars Colman as a lonely woman who forms an unlikely bond with a mysterious creature, played by Skarsgård. Elizabeth Debicki also features in a supporting role.
Despite its niche appeal, Wicker has proven to be a commercial triumph. The film has grossed $20 million domestically and $30 million worldwide, tripling its reported $10 million budget. It's a remarkable feat for a movie that initially opened in just under 1,500 theaters. In its second week, the film expanded to nearly 2,400 screens, but has since been gradually scaled back as newer releases take over multiplexes.
This week's theater count drop is the second consecutive decline for the film, following a smaller reduction last week. It's a natural part of a film's lifecycle, especially for a title that isn't a blockbuster franchise. As Wicker heads toward its PVOD release on November 24, alongside Aaron Sorkin's The Social Reckoning, it's likely to see its theatrical footprint shrink even further.
However, the film's box office run isn't necessarily over. With a stellar 94% critics' score and a 92% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Wicker is a strong contender for awards season attention. The site's consensus praises it as "a charming fable that strikes the right balance between naughty and nice," highlighting Colman's "eminently lovable performance" and the film's "seamless creature effects."
If Wicker picks up nominations or wins during awards season, it could see a resurgence in theaters, similar to how other films have benefited from the "awards bump." For now, though, fans will have to catch it on the big screen while they still can, or wait for its digital release later this month.
In the meantime, other films are experiencing similar theater reductions. Liam Neeson's The Mongoose recently lost nearly 1,000 theaters after a weak debut, and Helen Mirren's latest thriller saw an 842-theater slide. Even big titles like Street Fighter have been pulled from 2,000 theaters as their runs wind down. It's a competitive landscape, and Wicker's ability to hold on this long is a testament to its appeal.
For those who haven't seen it yet, Wicker is a unique blend of romance and fantasy that has captivated audiences and critics alike. With its digital release just around the corner, there's no better time to experience the magic that has made it one of the fall's most talked-about films.
