Searchlight Pictures’ comedy Theater Camp proved its mettle in a competitive weekend at the box office, competing with big hitters Barbie and Oppenheimer. The film, directed by Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman, winner of the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Ensemble at Sundance, expanded its reach to 10 markets and 51 theaters, a significant increase from its initial six locations in New York and LA. It raked in an estimated $266,000, with an impressive per-screen average of $5.2k. This follows its strong opening last week, where it achieved a $50.2k PSA (per-screen average) – Searchlight’s most successful PSA for a limited release since Jojo Rabbit in 2019. Looking ahead, Theater Camp is set to hit another 35-40 markets next week and aims to reach 600-800 locations by August.
The film made its mark in new markets such as Austin, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Phoenix, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and Toronto. Top locations included The Metreon in San Francisco, Boston Commons, Camelview Scottsdale, and Alamo Sloans Lake in Denver. Exit polls from various theaters, including AMC Boston Common, AMC River East 21 in Chicago, Regal Irvine Spectrum in LA, AMC Garden State 16 in NY, Harkins Camelview, and AMC Metreon, garnered positive ratings and recommendations. 70% of viewers rated it as “excellent,” while 23% chose “very good.” An overwhelming 93% expressed their overall positivity towards the film. Furthermore, 80% of respondents stated that they would definitely recommend it, with over half indicating their eagerness to see it immediately. The film continues to resonate strongly with female viewers (53%) and those under the age of 35 (60%). In terms of demographics, the audience composition consists of 75% Caucasians, 14% Hispanics, 12% Asians, and 3% Black/African Americans. Notably, 37% of respondents identify as LGBTQ+.
Searchlight Pictures credited social media as a powerful tool in promoting the film, with the filmmakers and cast generating buzz from within their own networks. Additionally, the distributor collaborated with various youth camps, art classes, college theater groups, improv groups, and public theater organizations such as LA’s Center Theatre Group, Theater Club, and Tisch New Theatre in New York. These partnerships facilitated ticket sales and promotion, with some shows even offering free popcorn and Theater Camp t-shirts to entice audiences.
Other Specialty Releases and Expansions
While Theater Camp enjoyed success, there were few noteworthy releases in the specialty film category during this period. It is worth noting that smaller films do not always report box office figures on Sundays. In terms of expansions, Sony Pictures Classics’ The Miracle Club grossed $190,192 on 271 screens in its second week, resulting in a PSA of $702. The film’s cumulative box office earnings currently stand at $1.35 million.
Another film in its second week of release, Afire by Christian Petzold, distributed by Sideshow/Janus Films, garnered an estimated $26.45k across eight screens, achieving a PSA of $3,306. With a total cumulative box office of $80,301, the film is set to begin its national expansion in the coming weekend.
IFC Films’ Lakota Nation vs. United States experienced a three-day gross of $3.5k in its second week, showcased in two locations. This resulted in a PSA of $1.75k, bringing the film’s cumulative box office earnings to $15,000.
Lastly, A24’s Past Lives, which had its premiere in early June and has already surpassed $10 million in box office earnings, grossed $166k across 176 screens.
Overall, Theater Camp’s resilience amidst tough competition and its successful expansion into new markets bode well for its future prospects. The film’s ability to engage audiences through social media and strategic partnerships has undoubtedly played a significant role in its strong performance at the box office.