The indie box office experienced a significant surge this weekend, highlighted by Magnolia Pictures’ release of “Thelma,” which grossed $2.2 million across 1,280 screens. This marks Magnolia’s widest release to date and features a stellar performance by 93-year-old star June Squibb.
The film, which also stars Parker Posey and Fred Hechinger, was well-received by audiences of all ages, validating Magnolia’s belief in its intergenerational appeal. The success across diverse demographics, from younger crowds at Alamo Drafthouse theaters to older matinee audiences, suggests a strong ongoing performance.
“Thelma” resonated with both younger and older audiences, with notable showings in New York, Los Angeles, and markets like Boston, Phoenix, and Raleigh-Durham. The film’s broad appeal and strong word-of-mouth are expected to sustain its performance throughout the week, particularly among older theatergoers who tend to attend midweek showings.
Magnolia Pictures’ strategic targeting of different audience segments through platforms like Letterboxd and AARP appears to have paid off.
Searchlight Pictures’ “Kinds of Kindness” achieved remarkable success with a $70k per screen average across five theaters in LA and NY, making it the year’s highest per-screen average and the best-limited opening.
Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos and starring Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons, the film’s debut at theaters like the Angelika and AMC Lincoln Square was highly successful. The movie is set to expand to approximately 500 theaters next week, with a wider release on July 3.
In addition to “Thelma” and “Kinds of Kindness,” other indie releases also performed well. Jeff Nichols’ “The Bikeriders” from Focus earned $10 million across 2,642 screens, performing at the high end of expectations. Vertical’s “The Exorcism” by Joshua John Miller, starring Russell Crowe, grossed $2.4 million on 2,240 screens, marking the distributor’s widest release and biggest opening to date.
Limited releases also showed promise, with A24’s “Janet Planet” grossing $49.7k from two screens in NYC, featuring sold-out Q&A sessions. This directorial debut by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Annie Baker stars Julianne Nicholson and Zoe Ziegler.
Kino Lorber’s political thriller “Green Border,” directed by Agnieszka Holland, earned $7k at the Film Forum. Set against the backdrop of the European migrant crisis on the Belarus-Poland border, the film follows the intertwined fates of a Syrian family, a border guard, and an activist.
