A24’s new limited debut Pillion saw terrific numbers as did Oscar-nominated Hamnet from Focus Features, which has been out since November, as independent distributors Bleecker Street and Vertical set milestones on an unusual theatrical weekend against the Super Bowl and the Winter Olympics.
Harry Lighton’s Pillion starring Alexander Skarsgård and Harry Melling opened to $241.8k across four screens in New York and Los Angeles for a strong per theater average of $60.2k. The Cannes Un Certain Regard Best Screenplay-winner took Best British Independent Film and Best Debut Screenwriter at the BIFAs and has BAFTA noms for Outstanding British Film and Best Adapted Screenplay. It’s seeing advance sellouts across the country ahead of a rollout starting next weekend.
Charli xcx’s The Moment by Aidan Zamir also from A24 had a solid week 2 expansion, grossing $1.7 million on 581 screens.
Neon’s Oscar-nominated Sirat also opened nicely to $136.3k on four screens for a solid PSA of $34k. The distributor is on a tear with foreign language films with animated Arco on 243 screens in week 3 for an $800k cume; No Other Choice on 196 screens in week 7 for a $9.5 million cume; The Secret Agent on 300 screens in week 11 for a cume of $3.56 million; and Sentimental Value on 251 screens in week 14 at $4.89 million.
Hamnet from Focus Feature grossed an estimated $750k at 925 theaters over Super Bowl weekend, demonstrating impressive staying power since its November debut. The domestic cume now stands at $21.8 million.
GKids opened Kokuho, the distributor’s first new release live-action narrative film since 2010, at three theaters in NY, LA and Toronto to $47.2k for a cumulative $125k including a 2025 qualifying run. In Japan, Kokuho has grossed over $125 million to become the highest-grossing Japanese live-action film of all time. The film is Oscar-nominated for Best Makeup & Hairstyling.
Limited holdovers: A Poet from 1-2 Special is estimating $51.8k from 33 locations in week 2 for a $91.4 k cume.
All That’s Left Of You from Watermelon Pictures passed $400k in week 5 with a $37k weekend on 33 screens.
In week 2, The Love That Remains from Janus Films grossed an estimated $15.7k on 8 screens for a cume of $47.2k.
Obscured Releasing ocumentary Starman by Robert Stone opened at NYC’s IFC Center to $6.2k.
Among wide indie debuts, Stray Kids: The dominATE Experience, from Live Nation Studios, opened to $5.56 million on 1,725 screens for the o. 4 spot. This is the second-best opening for a Kpop concert film after BTS Permission To Dance On Stage, and it’s Bleecker’s second biggest opening weekend ever (since Logan Lucky in 2017). This is the first release from the distributor’s new event cinema label, Crosswalk.
“We are thrilled that the results this weekend reinforce our mission in this space,” Bleecker said. Even with limited showtimes, “theaters have felt the fans’ passions and continue to add showtimes.” The film made $900k from early access Imax screenings on Wednesday and continues to play many Premium Large Format screens through the weekend.
Vertical had a nice weekend with Luc Besson’s Dracula at $4.5 million on 2,050 screens. It’s the distributors best opening, beating previous record holder We Bury the Dead last month.
Angel Studios’ Solo Mio debuts to no. 2 (3,052 screens); Markiplier’s self-distributed phenomenon Iron Lung is no. 3 its second weekend (2,916 screens); Black Bear’s Shelter is no. 9 also in week 2 (2,726 screens).
Horror film Whistle from IFC and Shudder grossed $720k on 1,200 screens opening weekend.
English (US) ·