K-Pop legend BTS may be on hiatus but fans are decidedly not. Concert film BTS: Yet To Come hit no. 5 at the North American Box office this weekend with $5.1 million on 1,100+ screens, for a cume topping $7.8 million from the first showing Feb. 1.
The group announced last year it was planning to take a break. In October, after their one-off live concert to support the bid by Busan, Korea’s second biggest city, for the World Expo 2030, BTS said its seven members were planning to fulfill the Korean government’s mandatory military service and reconvene as a group in 2025. That concert footage has been cut, re-edited and remixed for the big screen.
“The members of BTS are currently moving forward with plans to fulfill their military service. After the phenomenal concert to support Busan’s bid for the World Expo 2030, and as each individual embarks on solo endeavors, it’s the perfect time and the members of BTS are honored to serve,” the group’s label Big Hit Music said then. The Astronaut, the first solo album by Jin ( Kim Seokjin) of BTS debuted last November.
Yet To Come (The Most Beautiful Moment) is a track from their last album. It’s up for a Grammy award in the Best Music Video category. The group is also in the running for My Universe in the Best Pop Duo or Group Performance category, and for Music of the Spheres in the Album of the Year category.
This is Trafalgar’s fifth collaboration with the group following:
2022’s BTS Permission To Dance On Stage – Seoul: Live Viewing broke the global event cinema record with a gross of grossed $6.84 million for North America and $32.6 million worldwide from a public starved for live events and global fans of the group. It was presented by Trafalgar and Hybe in 3,711 cinemas in 75 countries/regions for a one-day limited engagement. (Gross includes Japan admissions from Avex Pictures.)
2020’s Break The Silence: The Movie recorded a worldwide gross of $12.7 million, a strong showing in the midst of Covid. Presented by Trafalgar and Big Hit Entertainment (it rebranded to Hybe in 2021).
2019’s Bring The Soul: The Movie (also from Trafalgar/Big Hit) reached a $24.3 million box office.
2018’s Burn The Stage: The Movie (Trafalgar/Big Hit) recorded $18 million worldwide.
Other openings: Fathom Event’s The Chosen 3 Season Finale grossed $3.6 million on 1,900+ screens. The last two episodes of the season came in at no. 9 in North America. The series about the life of Jesus is in season seven.
Viva opened animated film The Amazing Maurice in 1,546 locations to a debut of $1.44 million for a PTA of $934. The distributor called the opening for the Sundance premiering film an encouraging start for an indie animation and it expects momentum to build.
Crunchyroll opened Sword Art Online – Scherzo of Deep Night in 892 locations to a debut of $607k for a PTA of $681. This is a second film spinoff of the novel, manga and TV anime franchise about a pair of avatars trapped inside Sword Art Online, a D&D-style online role-playing game.
Cohen Media Group’s Let It Be Morning from Erin Kolirim, director of The Band’s Visit, grossed $6k in two locations in NY and LA (PSA passing $3k). That’s a solid open as NYC staggered under bitter cold Fri. and Sat. that for sure kept some people indoors. Expands to top 15-20 markets next week with 25-30 runs, and to top 35 markets the following.
Likewise, Music Box opened Full Time on one screen – NYC’s Quad Cinema — to $2.1k. Expands to LA, Chicago and San Francisco next week.
Holdovers: Global hit Pathaan from Yash Raj Film grossed $2.77 million on 657 screens in week two for a no. 10 spot in North America and a cume of $14.3 million.
A24’s Close from Lukas Dhont, a nominee for the Best International Film Oscar, expanded to 20 screens in week two, grossing $118k for the weekend with a cume of $202k. Will continue to expand throughout awards season.
One Fine Morning from Sony Pictures grossed $18k on 12 screens (up from three last week ), for a cume of $49.3k.
Neon’s Infinity Pool added 85 locations in week two for a total of 1,750, grossing $900k for a cume through Sunday of $4.3 million.
A24’s Everything Everywhere All at Once had a solid second week in re-release in 935 locations earning $528.9k — for a domestic cume $72 million. The indie juggernaut was released in March.
Skinamarink from IFC Midnight/Shudder grossed $36k in 62 theaters. The cume for the horror phenomenon, a first feature by Kyle Edward Ball that cost $15k to make, has a cume of $1.98 million.
Vertical’s Maybe I Do hit the $1M mark with an estimated three day gross of $210k on 389 screens.
Other awards-season expansions: UAR’s Women Talking, grossed $533k at 707 locations for a cume of $3.4 million.
A24’s The Whale saw $421.9k on 1,015 screens for a $15.76 million cume.
The Fabelmans from Universal, on 1,054 screens, earned $275k for a cume of $16.7 million.
Focus Features’ Tár grossed $90k at 439 locations for a $6.3 million cume. The Tod Fields fim, as well as Martin McDonagh’s The Banshees Of Inisherin, on 410 screens this weekend, just took top prizes today at the London Critic’s Circle Awards.