Netflix‘s Spanish drama La Bola Negra debuted to $277.5k on four screens – these numbers coming directly from the giant streamer Sunday in its first ever official box office grosses.
The TIFF audience award-winner saw $108.3k Friday and $84.6k on Saturday leading into a strong three-day per screen average of $69.4k for the company’s inaugural report.
The film, based on an unfinished play of the same name by Federico García Lorca, launched at the Paris Theater and Angelika in New York, and AMC Century City and Burbank in LA. Netflix is giving the festival favorite a 45-day theatrical window in a new era of box office reporting overseen by global theatrical distribution head Spencer Klein. It will expand in NY/LA and add major markets over the next few weeks ahead of a wider break 11/6.
House records, as per Netflix, reflect the highest opening gross for a non-English language film at the Angelika, The Paris and AMC Century City (excluding dubbed anime) and, more broadly, the second-highest per-screen average for a non-English language film of all time. And the highest per-screen average ever for a Spanish film.
Buzz for the film began at its Cannes world premiere where helmers Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi shared Best Director for the R-rated, era-spanning story that went on to beguile the festival circuit. Spain’s Oscar entry for Best International Feature follows the interconnected lives of three gay men.
Netflix gave the film a full theatrical marketing campaign including out-of-home, social, standees, trailers and community screenings, along with bespoke elements. A poetry salon hosted by John Cameron Mitchell and modeled on Lorca’s secret 1930s intellectual gatherings, brought filmmakers and cast together to honor Lorca’s lasting influence on queer art and culture ahead of the NYC premiere last Thursday at NewFest. Marketing will be key for and upcoming titles as the company seeks to draw moviegoers into seats.
The streamer release Guitarricadelafuente’s single from the film, ‘La Nieve,’ (The Snow) on Sept. 18. The musician made his acting debut in the film, which also stars Milo Quifes and Carlos González., with Glenn Close and Penélope Cruz.
Reactions from in-theater audience exit surveys were strong with 96% rating La Bola Negra Excellent or Very Good (80% Excellent), and 87% giving it a Definite Recommend. The film skewed male (66%) and young, with 51% under 35 and 25 to 34 year-olds the largest age group at 39%.
It’s Rotten Tomatoes Certified Fresh with critics at 87%.
Upcoming Netflix releases set for wider theatrical release and significant windows include The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth by David Fincher; Greta Gerwig’s Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew; animated feature Charlie vs. the Chocolate Factory: by Taika Waititi; The Mosquito Bowl by Peter Berg and Danny Boyle’s Ink.
More to come