A trio of Indian films led by Leo: Bloody Sweet, at no. 8, and two Fathom events bulked up the specialty box office this weekend as The Persian Version debuted, Anatomy Of A Fall entered week two and Dicks: The Musical expanded nationwide.
Prathyangira Cinemas opened Tamil-language thriller Leo: Bloody Sweet in 720 locations to a hefty weekend debut of $2.14 million and a domestic cume through Sunday of $4.68 million, according to Comscore. Directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, the film, with prints in Tamil, Hindi and Telugu, did huge numbers this week in Toronto, Seattle, Dallas, Austin, San Francisco, New York and Montreal. It’s the latest Indian film since Jawan last month to leap Stateside. Jawan, by Atlee Kumar and starring Shah Rukh Kahn (SRK) opened Sept. 8 on 800 screens to a $6.2 million weekend and $7.56 total.
Fans have been looking forward to the pairing of Kanagaraj and star Thalapathy Vijay in a film that is the latest installment of what’s being called Lokesh’s Cinematic Universe, The first feature, Kaithi, was released in 2019, the second, Vikram, in 2022. In Leo: Bloody Sweet, a mild-mannered café owner becomes a local hero through an act of violence that causes the life he left behind to resurface, shattering his newly constructed existent to its core.
Sarigama Cinemas presented Bhagavanth Kesari in 450 locations to a weekend debut of $405,425 and domestic cume through Sunday of $1.06 million. The Telugu-language actioner is directed by Anil Ravipudi.
And Funasia opened Telegu film Tiger Nageswara Ra in 245 locations to a weekend debut of $282,395. About about a master thief. Directed by Vamasi Krishna Naidu and Vamsi Krishna Akella.
Moving to Fathom Events, its Saturday re-release of Back to the Future grossed $739,915 in 988 theaters. Its Met Opera: Dead Man Walking event took in $472,683 at 720 locations, also on Sat.
Among indies, some solid numbers: New opening The Persian Version from Sony Pictures Classics grossed $87,372 on nine screens for a per screen average of of $9,708.
Expansions: Neon’s Cannes Palme d’Or winning Anatomy Of A Fall by Justine Triet saw a $154,399 weekend on 14 screens in week 2 for an $11k per theater and a cume of $333,891.
A24’s R-rated comendy Dicks: The Musical expanded nationwide this weekend to 345 screens, grossing $377,653 for a cume of $826,387.
Utopia’s presentation of the Sophie Compton and Reuben Hamlyn SXSW award-winning doc Another Body grossed $7,761 opening weekend at one NYC location, the IFC Center. Earlier Sunday grosses were looking like $5.57k but the distributor upped the tally after seeing a surge in Sunday Q&A sales. It’s also available to rent and on digital — currently holding the #2 overall documentary spot on AppleTV. Expands to LA and more markets on 10/27. Also from Utopia, Eddie Alcazar’s Divinity grossed $10k in NY (Regal Union Square) and limited shows at the American Cinematheque’s Los Feliz and Aero theaters.
Abramorama doc Full Circle grossed $1,654 in week one, also at a single NYC theater.
Indie film grosses aren’t always available Sunday but tend to trickle in during the week.
Specialty box office looks at films that are released on under 1,000 screens.