“ Americana ” by Sydney Sweeney did not bomb at the box office: here is why

Whenever a film with a notable star obtains a wide release in just over 1,000 theaters, and that the title does not publish a big result, it is easy to write that it is a bomb.

Read, we have declared once the neon lights Matthew McConaughey Beach buttocks was the lowest opening of the star for a wide outing at 1.76 million dollars ($ 1.6k per theater); This film playing in 1,100 places in May 2019. At the time, neon was upset, making a point that the film was a niche piece, and the only reason why the photo played slightly north of 1000 locations is because the opportunity arose to reserve Beach buttocks In more theaters. Why reproach the distributor for having made an additional effort in booking the title, and thus throw a pie in the face of the film?

This brings us to the Sydney Sweeney featuring, originally bronfinched Tony Tost-Ralized Western, Americanathat the media condemned as a flat bomb in its opening of $ 500,000 in 1,100 theaters, especially following the Euphoria Controversial campaign of American Eagle Eagle jeans.

However, calling Americana A bomb is an improper term in economic terms on independent films, because in the end, the film should be profitable for Lionsgate at a small level under their Lionsgate Premiere release label.

Sit, close the door, take a seat and we will explain.

First of all, Americana has never been designated as a large theatrical version of the fire with a two -digit marketing campaign in the A24 title of Jenna Ortega Death of a unicorn (which at a production cost of $ 15 million, underperform for the Wednesday Star with an opening of $ 5.7 million on 3,000 or more screens, ending at 12.8 million domestic dollars). Lionsgate saved Americana One year after the world’s world premiere at great criticism at 2023 SXSW (100% but then decreased to 68% on Rotten Tomatoes at the time of the release), the financier of the Bron Studios film going bankrupt in the summer of 2023. Lionsgate put Americana Under his Lionsgate Premiere release label. It is a label that the studio keeps for its art or gender art titles with a very weak and concentrated P&A expense (that is to say Sisu,, Autumn,, Silent night). The 1,000 theater break is, of course, there to push the title through its downstream windows. Americanawhich also features Paul Walter Hauser And the singer Pop Halsey, follows local foreigners and parias in a small town in southern Dakota whose life has violently intertwined after an artifact rare falls on the black market. The LGPR arm is structured as a profitable part of the Lionsgate library, 95% of its versions being in the dark.

In the post-cammeral market (and it was even a real pre-countryic), the saying that is a lot thrown by leaders, including the president of Paramount newly appointed Jeff Shell during the recent preseur of the new Conglom is that “there is no one-sized size that corresponds to a distribution approach for films.

The economy on Americana Go as follows: Lionsgate has picked up global for $ 3 million, 60% of that supported by foreign presale. The theatrical and combined PVOD marketing expenses are less than $ 3 million (mainly digital and tea trailers). The expectation concerns a final national range of 1.5 million dollars. Americana is on an exclusive 30 -day theatrical window instead of 17 days. The PVOD SKED version is very similar to the theatrical, distributors strategically finding the right time to go digital. Americana Will cross the Lionsgate agreement with Starz in his Pay One window. Sources say that the label awaits Americana Be in the dark at the end of all its windows.

Here is the current reality on several films funded independently focused on the stars gathered by agencies: they are not sold. Many titles financially are already in deficit before even seeing a theatrical release. That is to say that Ron Howard Eden Cost of a net of $ 50 million, and there is no way vertical paid a bonus on this subject to release it. Friday, we told you that the criminal drama of Matthew McConaughey, The rivals of the king of AmziahWho received a standing ovation in Sxsw earlier this year, obtained a domestic release by his financier Black Bear after finding the right buyer. For a film like Americanawhich costs $ 9 million Bron Studios, To obtain a theatrical release, rent God. Why so many unsold products? The acquisition market remains in a funk while streamers are reduced in their desires, and film distributors evaluate if investment in a film justifies their energy.

Although we are not waving the flag for openings with a box office figure, these ticket sales for small distributors such as Neon can be internal victories, even the publicly face, the box office may seem to be a problem. Read, their release last year from the horror film of Nun with Sweeney with Sweeney Immaculate Open to $ 5.3 million in fourth place and the legs at $ 15.6 million, was a victory for neon. The film was strictly a P&A agreement with a P&A expenditure in half. Black Bear transported the cost of production of less than $ 10 million.

Regarding the purchase of Lionsgate Americana And giving him a theatrical chance, it was with the intention of being in future affairs with Impassive face The showrunner Tony Tost, who made his director’s debut here, as well as Sweeney, who remains a promising star. Mission accomplished for Lionsgate because they have the highly anticipated The maid Thriller at Christmas, which the actress does not only play, but executive production. The maid is by far the biggest game for Lionsgate, and it will be Sweeney’s decisive test as a Marquee Star potential of $ 220 million surprise surprise Anyone except you against Americanawhich was a limited part.

For the whole cinema industry, these independent films of booming filmmakers, which often have their biggest days during a film festival against a big screen from one ocean to another; Even if their ticket sales appear to be dull, it is not a big Whoop: such titles have established the table for the future of a director, more size.

For fear that we only forget before Quentin Tarantino was the gigantic multi-ossar winner that he is, Tank dogs Open at $ 147,000 and ended its national race at $ 2.8 million domestic dollars in 1992.