The Whale Exceeds $30 Million Worldwide at the Box Office; Overseas leaders, led by Mexico

EXCLUSIVE: A24s The whale, whose Oscar-nominated star Brendan Fraser won Best Actor at Sunday night’s SAG Awards, is enjoying a strong run worldwide, having surpassed $30 million worldwide in its final frame. Now on $32.3 million worldwide and with more overseas markets to be released, drama counts $15.5 million so far from the international box office; it’s a near 50/50 split with Domestic – an excellent result for a low-budget indie. The worldwide box office is close to that of The Fables.

The drama, directed by Darren Aronofsky, made its debut at the Venice Film Festival last September in a triumphant world premiere that ushered in awards season. It then moved on to Toronto and numerous other festivals, and began its theatrical premiere in December.

this month, The whale had the best limited opening of 2022 in NY and LA, beating the average per-screen record set by its own indie distributor in late spring Everything, everywhere, all at once and the biggest opening weekend for an art house film. The title just came out in home entertainment in its home country, where it is #1 on iTunes.

Foreign countries are the top market for the three-time Oscar nominee Mexico where California Films began publishing on February 9 and topped the weekend, followed by Flat Drops. Gross through Sunday is $5.03 million. The whale is expected to finish its run in Mexico in the $8 million range, on par or not far from titles like A Quiet Place Part II And elvis It has been surpassed No, Free Guy, ticket to paradise and last year Shout on the market (all at historical rates).

The United Kingdom is the No. 2 lead for the film, which also stars Oscar nominee Hong Chau. As of Sunday, the gross is $2.57 million. A24 was itself released in the UK, where the film was also screened at the London Film Festival last October. In a dovetail with The whale and Brenaissance of the popular actor, Fraser surprised the audience before a show The Mummy at Prince Charles Cinema in January, dressed as one of his most famous characters, adventurer and archaeologist Rick O’Connell, and a plug for The whale.

Elsewhere in the top markets SpainIts late January debut via YouPlanet grossed $450,000, beating comparable amounts Banshees And tar. Running through Sunday costs $1.63 million.

In Australia, The whale Madman launched in early February and has earned $1.18 million so far.

in the meantime Greece, The whale is the highest-grossing A24 film of all time and the biggest indie title since the pandemic began. After playing at Thessaloniki party in November, it launched via Tanweer in January and has raised $915,000 so far. dune.

Italy (iWonder) and Brazil (California Films) released last weekend; Brazil doubled its estimates to $361,000 and Italy also beat estimates at $643,000. Notable markets ahead include Korea, which opens today via Green Nara, France (Originals Factory) on March 8, and Japan (cinema) and Germany (Plaion) in April.

International trends, says A24, are similar to local trends with strong exits and recommendations. In the US it plays to a wider crossover audience than the typical art house film. The top-grossing theaters came from traditional markets like New York and Los Angeles, as well as commercial theaters in non-traditional specialties like Albuquerque, San Antonio, El Paso, Winnipeg and Pharr Texas.