The indie box office busted out this year, hitting is stride post-Covid with an eclectic string of releases that made a splash artistically and financially. Independents and mini-majors saw $1.47 billion in box office receipts as of Dec. 27, up from $811.7 million in 2022, according to Comscore. Focus Features had the biggest limited opening
MGM
The specialty market had a Shah Rukh Khan-nice weekend as Yash Raj Films’ Jawan pulled in an estimated $6.2 million in 813 theaters — a per-theater average $7.6k — taking the no. 4 spot at the North American box office. That’s a $7.56 million cume for the Bollywood action thriller including Thursday shows. SRK
In its second weekend in theaters, MGM and director Emma Seligman’s teen comedy Bottoms broke into the top ten films for the weekend (no. 7) on 715 screens, a major North America expansion from a 10-theater opening last week. An estimated $3 million gross for the three days, and $3.6 million for the four-day Labor Day
Emma Seligman’s Bottoms is looking at an estimated weekend gross of $516k on ten screens with a possible leading $51,625 per-theater average for the raunchy, teenage high school girl take on Fight Club. That’s a win for MGM, its Orion Pictures label and Brownstone Productions, producers on the modestly budgeted ($11.3 million) film written by
Neon’s re-release of Park Chan-Wook’s 2003 Oldboy grossed an estimated $495k on 250 screens this weekend for a total cume of $880k over five days. It’s set to cross the $1 million in its first week back – surpassing a cumulative North American gross of $707k with original distributor Metro Tartan Film. The classic revenge thriller came
Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation (WRMPPF) is honoring one of their biggest champs this year with a posthumous recognition: late MGM and United Artists Distribution Boss Erik Lomis. The honor will be recognized at the October 4 dinner at The Beverly Hilton. Lomis, who was a force in getting movie theaters back open as
Another 2023 theatrical release gets moved due to the SAG-AFTRA strike as MGM is pushing the Zendaya starring, Luca Guadagnino directed R-Rated tennis romance to April 26, 2024. The pic was scheduled to open stateside on Sept. 15, working off the heat of its Venice Film Festival opening night premiere. That world premiere is not
EXCLUSIVE: We hear that the George Clooney directed MGM title, The Boys in the Boat, is set to hit theaters on Monday, Dec. 25, as a wide release. The studio, I understand, were ecstatic over the test scores and landed on the pic’s release date in an effort to grab families. Pic is based on
EXCLUSIVE: The Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation has created the Erik Lomis Leadership Award, which will be bestowed at the charity’s 30th Annual Film Row Charity Golf Classic. Modeled after the Payne Stewart Award given annually by the PGA Tour, which is given to a player whose values align with the character, charity, and
Kevin Wilson has officially been named the Head of Theatrical Distribution for Amazon Studios and MGM as the parent company combines both labels into one theatrical distribution group. The news comes in the wake of the passing of Amazon-MGM previous theatrical distribution boss, Erik Lomis, who was given a heartfelt remembrance today at CinemaCon by
The death of MGM distribution chief Erik Lomis on Wednesday has shocked many around Hollywood. More than just being a sage to filmmakers and executives about the motion picture business, Lomis was known for his generosity fundraising with the Will Rogers Institute, cultivating others’ careers, and even being a mentor to many in their personal
Extremely devastating news: MGM and United Artists Releasing distribution boss Erik Lomis died suddenly Wednesday at his home in Santa Monica, we have learned from sources. No details were provided in regards to his death. He was 64. Lomis was a towering figure behind many filmmakers’ hits including those from Quentin Tarantino, Paul Thomas Anderson,
MGM’s Creed III is off to a powerful start at the international box office with the Michael B Jordan-directed movie grossing $6.9M through Thursday in 56 markets. The threequel, the first major title released overseas by Warner Bros under a multi-year pact that was entered last August, has another 19 markets to add today and
The winter box office continues to have some breadth as MGM’s feature directorial debut of Michael B. Jordan, Creed III, eyes a potential franchise opening high for the Rocky spinoff about Apollo Creed’s son with a $38M-$40M opening at 4,007 theaters. Previous Creeds played during the Thanksgiving box office of 2015 and 2018, respectively opening
Fandango and United Artists Releasing are holding early access screenings on Aug. 8 for MGM’s Aretha Franklin biopic Respect. Tickets are now on sale on Fandango. The pic will preview at 500 theaters nationwide before its Aug. 13 release. Respect stars Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Hudson as Franklin. The pic is directed by award-winning theater director Liesl Tommy
As the motion picture industry looks to get back on track at the box office, and avoid being the laughing stock of streamers, the latest question begged is: What was Sony thinking when they decided to move Hotel Transylvania: Transformania onto the Oct. 1-3 opening weekend of MGM’s Addams Family 2? Both Halloween-centric animated movies
MGM’s Thelma & Louise is turning 30, and the studio is holding a special drive-in screening event June 18 in partnership with Cinespia’s Drive In at The Greek in Los Angeles. The pic was originally released over Memorial Day weekend in 1991, on May 24. Geena Davis, who played Thelma, and Susan Sarandon, who played Louise,
So with Amazon’s $8.45 billion absorption of MGM, are future James Bond films destined to be relegated to streaming? Don’t even think about it. Eon Bosses Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson released a statement this AM saying that “We are committed to continuing to make James Bond films for the worldwide theatrical audience.” As
In the wake of Monday’s news that Amazon is making a go at MGM, it’s been radio silence. As of today, we hear that both sides remain actively in talks, and want to get the deal done soon but the time frame remains undefined. With Amazon’s recent acquisition of big pics like Paramount’s Coming 2
EXCLUSIVE: MGM and Miramax’s Guy Ritchie-directed action thriller Wrath of Man is moving to the May 7-9 weekend, which was recently given up by Disney/Marvel’s Black Widow. Wrath of Man was previously dated for April 23. United Artists Releasing will be distributing the feature, which reps the filmmaker’s fourth film with leading man Jason Statham, a canon
Updated writethru 9:17PM after 4:55pm post: As we told you earlier, MGM was moving 007 film No Time to Die to the fall and away from Easter weekend, April 2-4. Right now the Cary Joji Fukunaga-directed feature, which reps Daniel Craig’s swan song as Mr. Bond, is set to fire up on Oct. 8. MGM just made
In what should not be a shocker, we are hearing that MGM/Eon’s No Time to Die is bound to move from its Easter weekend release of April 2 to some time in the fall, as the world waits for this pandemic to come under control. Several sources inform us this morning. Note, the UK, is a
Exhibitors got another setbacks today as MGM has delayed the release of its Aretha Franklin biopic Respect, starring Jennifer Hudson, from January 15 to August 13. The studio also has pulled its Tomb Raider sequel starring Alicia Vikander and Kristin Scott Thomas from its March 19 premiere date; that film now is unset. Respect, MGM/United Artists
MGM’s No Time to Die is officially heading to April 2, 2021, Easter weekend, and vacating its Nov. 20 release date. “MGM, Universal and Bond producers, Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, today announced the release of No Time To Die, the 25th film in the James Bond series, will be delayed until 2 April in order to be seen by a worldwide theatrical audience. We
EXCLUSIVE: With the domestic box office still ailing, studios have been keen to make their finished films revenue events to the widest audience possible, maximizing profits by whatever means. For MGM’s Orion, that meant releasing the long-awaited Keanu Reeves-Alex Winter threequel Bill & Ted Face the Music on Premium VOD and whatever theaters would play it
Word was leaking that more wide-release date changes were afoot in the wake of Warner Bros’ Wonder Woman 1984 postponing from October 2 to Christmas Day. Here’s one that went down Friday: Universal/MGM/Bron/Monkeypaw’s Candyman is moving from its October 16 date to an unset future date in 2021. All studio partners are assessing a new date,
EXCLUSIVE: In the wake of the great response from Jennifer Hudson’s performance of Aretha Franklin’s “Young, Gifted & Black” on the BET Awards, and the 60 minute trailer that followed, MGM/United Artists Releasing is now going wide with their biopic about the legendary performer on Jan. 15, 2021, MLK weekend. The all-in move shows how
MGM has picked up the remaining offshore territories for Bill & Ted Face the Music from Endeavor Content. The Orion movie opens on Aug. 14 stateside. The new deal adds France, Italy, Spain, Japan, South Korea, Scandinavia, Taiwan, Thailand, Hong Kong, Hungary, Turkey, Benelux, Bulgaria, Singapore and Romania to MGM’s previous international swath of Germany, Greece, Latin
With Warner Bros./Legendary’s Godzilla vs. Kong stomping away from its Nov. 20 release date, MGM’s 007 feature No Time to Die will take over that slot in the states. No Time to Die is also going earlier in the UK on Nov. 12 in the UK. News broke on social media this morning. Deadline was the first to report that due
EXCLUSIVE: Now here’s a movie that isn’t moving completely off the schedule after Warner Bros. exploded the release calendar today with its Tenet and Wonder Woman 1984 release date change moves. United Artists Releasing is going a week earlier with Orion’s threequel Bill & Ted Face the Music, now on Aug. 14 — the date Wonder Woman 1984 previously