S.S. Rajamouli (RRR) returned to U.S. theaters with Baahubali: The Epic drawing a crossover audience and an estimated $837.3k since midweek on circa 450 screens. Variance Films handled the U.S. release, working with producers Arka Mediaworks and marketing firm Walls & Trends.
Prathyangira Cinemas handled Canada.
The film a new vision of the the two-part Baahubali series Baahubali: The Beginning (2015) and Baahubali: The Conclusion (2017) — the latter the highest grossing Indian film of all time in North America — remastered and edited into a single cinematic experience by Rajamouli. Clocking in at four hours, with intermission, the release kicked off Wednesday on 160 premium large format screens including Imax to sellouts at AMC Lincoln Square Imax and theaters across the country. A handful added midnight screenings that night for serious fans to meet demand.
The Epic expanded to 448 locations Thursday with 60+ PLF runs holding. It will continue to play through next weekend, after which it will remain available on screens in a model Variance developed successfully with RRR, bringing it back after its initial run with an “encoRRRe” release that continues selling out theaters to this day and has added $1.5 million to the initial gross.
“S.S. Rajamouli movies are what movie theaters were built for, and sitting in the middle of the theater this weekend watching die-hard fans cheer their favorite moments while first-time viewers leaned forward to see what would happen next is as much fun as you can have at the theater,” says Variance president and founder Dylan Marchetti. He said the initial gross was a bit above internal projections.
Indian films are highly valued at the North American box office but often do 80% of their business with Indian audiences and families on the first day of release, then fall off dramatically. The audience for Baahubali: The Epic was roughly 10% to 15% non-Indian Rajamouli fans who liked RRR and heard about this latest on Letterboxd or other social media in a calibrated campaign that was also cognizant of not taking away from the core audience. Marchetti expects the road show, like RRR’s, to be almost exclusively non-Indian moviegoers.
In Baahubali, a legendary warrior emerges from humble beginnings to challenge powerful forces threatening his homeland, as ancient prophecies and family bonds shape his journey. It stars Prabhas in dual roles alongside, Rana Daggubati, Anushka Shetty, Tamannaah Bhatia, Ramya Krishna, Nassar, Sathyaraj, Subbaraju and Adivi Sesh.
RRR opened in March of 2022 to $9.5 million domestic, going on to gross over $15 million (and $166 million worldwide). It charged into multiplexes amid a dearth of new releases post-Covid, going on to win the Oscar for Best Original Score.
Other indies: Focus Features’ Bugonia by Yorgos Lanthimos grossed $4.8 million in a big week two expansion on 2,043 screens for a cume of $5.8 million. This is the best wide break to date for the director (The Favourite, Poor Things, Kinds Of Kindness). It’s Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomaotes with an 86% Critics Score and 83% Audience Score. B CinemaScore. Audiences were 61% male, 39% female with 39% ages 24-34. Around 53% were White, 24% Latino, 7% Black, 7% Asian and 6% Native American/other. Focus said it expects audiences to continue to find the Emma Stone-starring film in theaters despite an overall depressed marketplace.
Briarcliff’s animated family comedy Stitch Head opened to $2.1 million on 2,162 screens for a $2.5 million cume.
Anniversary from Roadside Attractions is eyeing an estimated 3-day gross of $259.2k on 809 screens.
IFC opened Ozark Mountains-set crime thriller Violent Ends in 700 theaters to $120k.
Neon’s Shelby Oaks grossed $770k in week two at 1,708 locations for a cume of $3.9 million.
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