Searchlight Pictures’ original comedy Theater Camp has exceeded expectations with its strong limited opening weekend performance. The film, which won the Special Jury Award for Ensemble at Sundance, grossed an estimated $281,172, averaging $46.9k per theater across six locations. This makes it the best limited opening for Searchlight since Jojo Rabbit in 2019. The film received an A CinemaScore and attracted a diverse demographic mix, with over 50% of the audience comprised of 25-34 year-olds.
SVP Frank Rodriguez expressed his surprise at the film’s success, stating, “We didn’t expect that. It was a young audience. We got a lot of the older demos too. It’s a great spot to be in.” The top-performing theaters for Theater Camp were AMC Lincoln Square and Alamo Brooklyn, where it had the second-highest weekend gross after Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning. It also took the top spot at the Angelika. The film will expand to select markets next weekend and eventually open in 600-800 locations by August.
A Unique Storyline and Talented Cast
Theater Camp stars Tony Award winner Ben Platt and Molly Gordon as lifelong best friends and drama instructors at a rundown theater camp in upstate New York. The camp faces a crisis when its founder, played by Amy Sedaris, falls into a coma due to a strobe-light incident. Her tech-bro son, portrayed by Jimmy Tatro, takes over but proves to be clueless. The staff and students must come together to stage a masterpiece and save their beloved summer camp. The film, directed by Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman, and written by Noah Galvin, Molly Gordon, Nick Lieberman, and Ben Platt, is based on their short film.
The film received positive reviews, although it lacks the same level of star power as other successful limited openings this year. Films like Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City and Ari Aster’s Beau Is Afraid, which had star-studded casts and built-in fan bases, achieved greater success. However, Theater Camp can be compared to Celine Song’s Past Lives, which opened at $58k in early June.
An Optimistic Outlook for Theatrical Releases
Despite the challenges faced by the industry, Theater Camp producer Erik Feig is thrilled with the film’s theatrical reception. He believes that the film, which celebrates the power of performance, was made for the big screen. Feig, the founder of Picturestart and a former Lionsgate executive, has a positive outlook on the theatrical experience, stating, “People are getting back, getting used to a communal experience, having [a film] as a topic of zeitgeist conversation. And that is cool no matter what.”
In addition to Theater Camp, several other specialty films had notable openings. Sony Pictures Classics’ The Miracle Club debuted with a strong performance, grossing $679,976 on 678 screens. Christian Petzold’s Afire, released by Sideshow and Janus Films, achieved a per-screen average of $9,800 on four screens in New York and Los Angeles. IFC Films’ Lakota Nation vs United States opened with $8,000 at the IFC Center in New York, and Roadside Attractions’ Black Ice grossed $26,225 on 144 AMC screens.
Overall, the success of Theater Camp’s limited opening weekend demonstrates the power of a unique storyline and the dedication of a talented cast. As the film expands to more locations, it is expected to continue to resonate with audiences and generate positive word-of-mouth. The theatrical experience remains a valuable and cherished aspect of the film industry, providing audiences with a communal and immersive experience that cannot be replicated elsewhere.