Michael Moore's new documentary has flopped. I was expecting it to make bank considering the current political climate. I think the budget for it was $5 million which is crazy for a documentary.
Fahrenheit 11/9 limped to an eighth-place finish in North America with $3.1 million from 1,719 theaters. Prerelease tracking had suggested at least $5 million to $6 million. Moore's satirical anti-Trump film marks the first release from Tom Ortenberg's new company, Briarcliff. (Ortenberg worked with Moore on
Fahrenheit 9/11 while stationed at Lionsgate.)
"We're optimistic," says Briarcliff distribution head Steve Bunnell, noting the film's A CinemaScore and strong PostTrak exit scores. "The idea was to have the movie play everywhere before the midterm elections."
In 2004, Moore's
Fahrenheit 9/11 debuted to a record-breaking $23.9 million from 868 locations. Otherwise, his films, similar to other political or specialized docs, have launched first in select theaters before expanding their footprint in order to capitalize on word of mouth. While it's true
Fahrenheit 11/9 posted one of the biggest bows ever for a political doc, it is only the fourth political doc to launch nationwide, making comparisons tough.
Weekend Box Office: 'House With a Clock in Its Walls' Zooms to $27M; 'Fahrenheit 11/9' Tanks With $3M
, Assassination Nation
