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Focus Features has a secret weapon on the fall release schedule and that’s Downton Abbey on Sept. 20.
While everyone is buzzing about Warner Bros.’ screaming in the start of fall with New Line’s It: Chapter Two, Downton Abbey could very well see a huge turnout of older female moviegoers. The pic’s first day of advance sales on Fandango Tuesday are the potential first indication of that.
As of right now, the Carnival Film & TV and Perfect World co-production is outpacing the first day sales of Universal’s Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again and Sony’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. The first comparison is to a huge skewing female pic that rang up a $34.9M opening, while the latter is the first serious piece of non-tentpole counter-programming that’s rallied at the summer, debuting to $41M. Typically, female moviegoers head to movies in groups and plan their multiplex visits in advance, and that’s what we are seeing here with Downton Abbey.
“In its five-year TV run, Downton Abbey garnered an incredible global following,” says Fandango Managing Editor Erik Davis. “The first day sales are among the best we’ve seen for any movie this year. No doubt, fans have missed their favorite characters and are super-excited to see what new schemes arise in the upcoming film.”
In addition, Fandango is hosting an advance ticketing sweepstakes where every VIP purchase is entered for a chance to win the Downton Abbey movie script signed by the cast.
The Julian Fellows directed movie’s official trailer on Focus Features channel has clocked 5.2m views.