Will 'Shape of Water' Get A Box Office Bump From Its Best Picture Win?

Though the awards season box office hit a six-year low, Fox Searchlight’s “The Shape of Water” has remained a quietly consistent moneymaker since its December release. Now the film has walked away with four Oscars, including Best Picture, giving it a chance for one last burst of cash at movie theaters in the next couple weeks.

So far, “Shape of Water” has grossed $126.8 million worldwide, including $57.4 million domestically. While that only ranks 64th among all movies released last year, “Shape of Water” is the highest grossing Best Picture winner since 2014, when “12 Years A Slave” grossed $187.7 million globally.

From Dec. 1 to nomination day on Jan. 23, “Shape of Water” grossed $30 million from an audience that skewed younger. After nominations, while several other nominees saw their returns tail off, “Shape of Water” nearly matched its pre-nominations total with $27 million grossed from nomination day to Oscar Sunday.

This was thanks to an influx of older moviegoers intrigued by the film’s status as this year’s nominations leader with 13. According to data from movie analytics group Movio, the proportion of moviegoers over the age of 50 going to see “Shape of Water” increased by 23 percent after nomination day.

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Fox Searchlight tells TheWrap that they will expand the film’s screen count this coming weekend to at least 1,350 screens this weekend. It’s highest grossing frame came the weekend after nominations day, when it made just shy of $6 million from 1,850 screens. By that pace, analysts tell TheWrap they expect the film to make $4-5 million over this coming week, bringing its domestic total to around $62 million, with a finish over $65 million very likely.

“‘Shape of Water’ is also now out on digital release and will be on Blu-Ray next week, so we will see the film get a boost from both theatrical and home sales,” said comScore’s Paul Dergarabedian. “Some people will prefer to stream it at home, but like all of Guillermo Del Toro’s movies, this is one that really deserves to be seen in theaters, so that might have some appeal for those who haven’t seen it yet.”

Oscars 2018 After-Parties: Winners Frances McDormand, Jordan Peele and Kobe Bryant Celebrate (Photos)

Sam Rockwell, Frances McDormand, Jordan Peele and Kobe Bryant walked away from the Dolby with Oscars, ready to hit the after party circuit. The Governors Ball, Elton John, and Vanity Fair events continued long after Jimmy Kimmel signed off for the night.
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A few floors above where "The Shape of Water" won Best Picture to cap off the ceremony, producer J. Miles Dale and double winner Guillermo del Toro coast in to the Governors Ball.

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"I did it all by myself." Best Supporting Actress winner Allison Janney's opening line of her acceptance speech was the early leader for "Quote of the Show."

Also Read: 13 Best and Worst Oscars Moments, From Frances McDormand’s Speech to Gael Garcia Bernal’s Singing (Photos)
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Tiffany Haddish, who had a breakout moment as a presenter, was fired up to see Frances McDormand at the Vanity Fair party in Beverly Hills.

Also Read: Oscars: What Is an ‘Inclusion Rider,’ That Thing Frances McDormand Mentioned in Her Acceptance Speech?
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At the Governors Ball, Danny Glover (right) embraces L.A.'s only five-time NBA champion and Oscar winner, Kobe Bryant.
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Even Academy Award winners get photobombed. Gary Oldman gripped a new gold trophy as his wife Gisele Schmidt grew bunny ears at the Governors Ball. Winners headed to the Academy's official after-party to get their trophies engraved.

Also Read: Time’s Up, Oscars: Fewest Female Winners Since 2012
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Netflix's Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos held the premium service's first feature film Oscar outside the Governors Ball, along with director Bryan Fogel (right), whose winning doc, "Icarus," detailed doping in Russian athletics. "Truth wins," the official @Netflix account tweeted.

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Over at the Elton John party, Rufus Wainwright, Lionel Richie, Miley Cyrus and Ricky Martin huddled up with the host. The 26th annual AIDS fundraiser netted $5.9 million for Sir Elton's foundation.
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This is probably the last awards show Darren Criss is going to be watching on television for a while. His portrayal of serial killer Andrew Cunanan on FX's "The Assassination of Gianni Versace" has him poised for an Emmy run this summer. Criss and Mia Swier (left) recently got engaged.
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Jamie Foxx headlined Byron Allen's second annual Oscar night viewing party benefiting The Children's Hospital Los Angeles. As soon as the Oscars telecast ended, Foxx took the stage and began performing Michael Jackson songs at the Regent Beverly Wilshire bash.

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Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez brought their daughter to the Governors Ball. The Best Song winners for "Remember Me" are the same married duo who won for "Frozen" anthem "Let It Go" in 2014.
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A one-time British soap opera star, Rachel Shenton is now an Oscar winner. Shenton and fiancé Chris Overton won for their live action short "The Silent Child."

Also Read: Oscars Tell a Story of Inclusion – for Women, People of Color and Guillermo del Toro’s Fish-Man
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To the parties go the victors. The Governors Ball, Elton John and Vanity Fair were a sea of gold on Sunday night.

Sam Rockwell, Frances McDormand, Jordan Peele and Kobe Bryant walked away from the Dolby with Oscars, ready to hit the after party circuit. The Governors Ball, Elton John, and Vanity Fair events continued long after Jimmy Kimmel signed off for the night.

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