John Wilson’s ‘The History of Concrete’ from Magnolia Scores Biggest Opening Weekend for Documentary in IFC Center History

At the premiere of Magnolia’s “The History of Concrete,” filmmaker John Wilson gamely posed inside a cement truck that idled outside the IFC Center and later donned a hard hat to take photographs. For good measure, an 125-pound poster made entirely from concrete was installed in the theater’s lobby, an offbeat touch that perfectly matched the film‘s idiosyncratic tone.

Wilson’s promotional stunts have paid off. “The History of Concrete,” which finds Wilson trying to tell the story of the construction material using a commercial Hallmark movie script formula, has pre-sold more than $60,000 worth of tickets before the film even officially opens on September 18. That means “The History of Concrete” has scored the biggest opening weekend for a documentary in the history of the IFC Center.

The previous record-holder was Werner Herzog’s “Cave of Forgotten Dreams,” which earned $50,380 in 2011. For further context, other hit documentaries at the theater include “Steal This Story, Please,” which opened with $31,485 in April and “Weiner,” which did $38,550 worth of business during its opening weekend in 2016.

“The History of Concrete” is currently the 5th biggest opening weekend for any film ever at IFC Center, which is a testament to Wilson’s popularity. The filmmaker has developed an intense following, thanks to the comedy docuseries “How To with John Wilson,” which wrapped up its three-season run in 2023. Magnolia acquired “The History of Concrete” out of the Sundance Film Festival, where it was embraced by critics.

The opening follows Magnolia’s record-breaking summer release of John Early’s “Maddie’s Secret,” which recently ended its theatrical run and is IFC Center’s seventh biggest opener of all time. “The History of Concrete” will expand to 20 markets including Los Angeles on September 25.