Sony Picture Classics and Neon fared well in their small releases this week with Nine Days and Ailey respectively, running across 6 total locations in New York, Los Angeles and Irvine – both notching heavy per screen averages with the former leading to its wider release next week.
Nine Days hit NYC (Angelika, AMC Lincoln Square) and LA (The Landmark, AMC Sunset 5) this weekend before rolling out its planned nationwide release on August 6 in 250-275 theaters, said Jason Michael Berman, producer and president of Mandalay Pictures — depending on how it does. Judging from these numbers, the pic should perform decently.
The science-fiction drama starring Winston Duke grossed $18,455 across 4 theaters, which comes out to a very nifty $4,613 average per location – a strong indicator for public interest in this arthouse title.
The film portrays Will (Duke) who spends his days in a remote Midwestern-looking outpost watching a wall of TV screens of people living their daily lives. One dies, leaving a vacancy for a new life on earth, and candidates — unborn souls — arrive at Will’s to be tested as replacements. Will faces his own existential challenge with one, Emma (Beetz), who forces him to reckon with his tumultuous past and forge a new path for his own life.
Watch on Deadline
The Edson Oda-directed pic debuted at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and earned two Film Independent Spirit Award nominations — for Best First Feature and Best Supporting Male (for Wong).
Though Ailey is still at two locations (Regal Edwards Westgate in Irvine and Lincoln Center in NYC) for its second consecutive week, the dancer doc still managed to nab a sizable audience.
Directed by Jamily Wignot, the documentary details the life of Alvin Ailey, the trailblazing pioneer who found salvation through dance.
Ailey grossed $4,732 this weekend bringing its cumulative gross to $26,277. At only 2 locations, this brought the per screen average to a solid $2,366.
The widest specialty release out now is Roadside Attraction’s Joe Bell, which opened to $707K debut. Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green, the based-on-a-true-story film stars Mark Wahlberg as an Oregonian father who pays tribute to his gay teenage son Jadin, embarking on a self-reflective walk across America to speak his heart to heartland citizens about the real and terrifying costs of bullying.
The drama grossed $163K in its second week, dropping nearly 80% from its premiering weekend. This weekend brings Bell‘s cume to $1.26M. At 1,053 locations, the film managed to average $155 per location.