Exceeding even the highest of expectations is Lee Daniels’ “Precious: Based on the novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” with its smashing million-dollar opening weekend. Much buzz and anticipation had revolved the film since its Sundance debut in January. Released from just 18 theaters (New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Atlanta) over the weekend, “Precious” had already garnered a whopping $1,800,000 averaging an essentially unheard of $100,000 per theater average. It earns its place as the third best live action per-theater-average of all time rising up to the levels of “Dreamgirls” and “Brokeback Mountain”. What makes it more impressive is how the two films had opened on only 3 and 5 theaters respectively making “Precious” a wide hit from the beginning.
Many had been skeptical on the film’s box office power but “Precious” success was evident beforehand with $585,000 earnings for its first day alone, averaging a huge $32,500 per theater. Most of its shows were sold out with a need to add prints to make up for the great demand. On Saturday, its second day, it even rose to $699,514 averaging $38,800 per theater.
After a heated bidding war, Lionsgate earned distribution rights to the film with a deal said to be worth $5.5 million. Backing it up are executive producers Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry. With its earnings, “Precious” becomes the fourth highest grossing Sundance Narrative Grand Jury Prize winner this decade.
This Friday, November 13th, “Precious” will expand within both markets it debuted as well as in Philadelphia, Dallas, Washington, San Francisco, and Houston.
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