The Oscar buzz continues to have a domino effect at the box office, with nominated films lining up at the theatres for re-release in India, with a hope of renewed box-office collections.
Filmmaker Todd Phillips’ Joker, led the Oscar nominations with 11 nods, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor, but it didn’t stop a streaming service from making history.
For the first time in Oscar history, the studio with the most nominations is Netflix. The streaming giant earned 24 nominations for the Academy Awards, with Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman, Marriage Story, The Two Popes and Klaus emerging as favourites.
At a time when streaming services are giving a tough competition in the awards season, Hollywood studios are walking the extra mile to sell more tickets and add more profit to their accounts.
Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, for which Brad Pitt is lapping up awards for Best Supporting Actor, will be re-released in India on 14 February by Sony Pictures Entertainment India. Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker will also re-release in India on the same day.
Given the massive Oscar buzz around the film, Warner Bros. Pictures decided to re-release Joker as the makers believe that the step will not only draw new audiences to the theatres but is also expected to garner a momentous repeat footfall.
Joker, which has become the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time and has crossed the $ 1 billion mark at the worldwide box office, is going to re-release in cities of Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Gurgaon, Noida, Chennai, Kolkata, Pune, Ernakulam, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Mysore, Ahmedabad, Coimbatore amongst other cities.
“The palette for world cinema is increasing and gaining momentum. Consumption patterns are evolving with equal demand for mainstream as well as niche cinema -Indian or International. Nothing is bigger than the Oscars, so we were aware that these films will be well accepted, however, the response is currently exceeding expectations," Kamal Gianchandani, CEO of PVR Pictures Ltd, told IANS.
A number of films released in India after the nominations, cashing on the buzz. They were Jojo Rabbit, Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite, Judy, Sam Mendes’ war drama 1917, and A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood.
There are also exhibitions by major cinema chains, which are hosting annual Oscar film festivals, as a run-up to the award gala, which will be held in Los Angeles on 9 February 9.
Talking about the vision behind the fests, Devang Sampat, CEO, Cinepolis India, said: “Film festivals are a great way to showcase iconic and award-winning movies to our audiences over a targeted period. Our recently announced Oscar Film Festival brings the best of Oscar-nominated films for movie patrons in India, owing to the growing demand and preference for movies.”
(Inputs: IANS)
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