Logo text
For those who have followed Gen Z film director Cary Parker’s career since he started blowing up YouTube, it’s no surprise that his first feature film mania He does the same thing in theaters. The horror picture has been in theaters for less than two weeks and has already grossed $68 million in North America alone against a meager budget of $750,000.
For everyone else, it is a discovery of epic proportions.
Over the Memorial Day long weekend, the film rose to $23.9 million for the three-day count, a record 39.4 percent increase over its opening weekend earnings of $17.2 million from 2,615 theaters at the domestic box office. This is the largest increase in modern times for a film showing in more than 2,500 theaters outside of the Christmas holiday, and even then, the increase is greater than a number of popular titles at the end of the year.
Paul Dergarabedian, senior box office analyst at Comscore, was among those stunned, saying there were almost no comps. “I’ve been tracking and analyzing the box office for 33 years now, and I thought I’d seen it all until last weekend with the stunning performance of mania Which does not require any caveats. A second-weekend jump of close to 40 percent is almost unprecedented in the annals of modern box office tracking, and there’s really no direct apples-to-apples comparison.“
Head of distribution Lisa Bonnell says the distribution house always knew it had something special, but she echoes Degarabedian’s observation. “We are at a level we have never seen before, and the way he has behaved is outrageous,” she said. THR.
One explanation? So far, 75% of the audience is between the ages of 18 and 34, a beta segment dominated by Generation Z (ages 18-29) and younger Millennials. This prop can make or break a movie. The Gen Z generation, whose younger members grew up glued to their screens — not to mention those affected by pandemic restrictions on in-person socializing — is showing an appetite for the communal experience that movie theaters offer.
mania It dramatically overperformed from the start, opening well ahead of a projected $10 million and finishing third over the May 15-17 weekend just behind it. The devil wears prada 2. On the first Monday, it reached number one, where it has remained until then Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu Opened on May 22.
In some discomfort, he won Michael It ranked second throughout the long Memorial Day weekend, with each day coming in higher than expected. On Saturday, the weekend (three-day) rise was expected to reach 30 percent, which is already a major victory. But it expanded to a record high of 39.3 percent.
Regarding the weekend itself, it was also the only title in the top 10 to have a Sunday increase over Saturday. It earned a better-than-expected $8 million on Memorial Day Monday, bringing its 11-day domestic total to $62.4 million. On Tuesday, May 26, it took in another $6.5 million as it prepares to surpass $70 million.
“It’s actually one of our highest-grossing films,” Bonnell says. Top Focus performances include Robert Eggers’ soaring gothic horror film Nosferatuwhich grossed $95.6 million domestically and $181.9 million globally after its late 2024 release. Downton Abbey It is their best-performing title with $97.8 million domestic and $194.7 million worldwide, not adjusted for inflation.
mania It is a blessing for all involved. Focus beat out a number of other bidders – including A24 and Neon, independent stores that are “hot” among Generation Z and younger millennials – in securing the distribution rights mania From the 2025 Toronto Film Festival for $15 million.
Focus, run by indie veteran Peter Kujawski, has significant marketing and distribution experience, as well as access to Universal’s international distribution hardware. And don’t forget, Universal’s longtime head of films Donna Langley — who now serves as head of content across the vast NBCUniversal empire — is known for her astute ability to spot and, more importantly, win over emerging talent, including Jordan Peele. She still pays close attention to Focus and is a close ally of Kujawski. And Head of Marketing Jason Cassidy is also an experienced freelancer.
Bunnell began laying the foundation for maniaReleased six months ago, he reached out to both Alamo Drafthouse and AMC Theaters to generate interest in working together to promote the film. AMC signed on to make an exclusive bucket of popcorn, while Alamo provided mania Higher bills for several months.
Focus has made a big marketing push overall, including making replicas of the mysterious new item called “One Wish Willow,” which is at the heart of the film’s plot about a young man named Bear (Michael Johnston) who uses the item to wish that Nicky (Inde Navarrette) would love him more than anyone else in the world. His wish was fulfilled with terrifying results that won the admiration of critics, who gave it a 94 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
mania It is the only title in Focus history to see an increase in theater numbers in its third weekend. Bonnell says 100 theaters will be added over the weekend of May 29-31, bringing the total number of locations to 2,755 (40 were added last weekend).
“We hear about people who will see the movie three or four times,” Bonnell says. “It skews a little more male, but it attracts more women as we get older.”
Regarding his grip, many in the media say the earliest is July 2023 Voice of freedomthe only non-year-end title to see a second-weekend increase in the same vicinity, or 38.6 percent. But the film’s distributor, Utah-based Angel Studios, has come into question because of its unique “pay-it-forward” business model, where donors can purchase tickets that moviegoers can redeem. While the majority of those who redeemed tickets did attend, a significant number did not.
Dergarabedian agrees that it’s difficult to compare the two Voice of freedom It added 413 theaters in its second weekend.
Parker has already filmed his next film, a horror comedy Anything but ghostswhich will also be released by Focus in partnership with Universal-based Blumhouse-Atomic Monster, Roy Lee and Steven Schneider’s Spooky Pictures.
Parker has spent the past few years amassing a fanbase on YouTube through his comedy channel This is a bad idea and the $800 Serial Killer Found feature Milk and serial. He has too The Texas Chainsaw Massacre for A24’s Waiting in the Wings, with the director signed on to write, direct and produce the new film.
