Photo Credit: Raph PH / CC by 2.0
Beyonce’s ‘Renaissance’ concert film topped the domestic box office in its opening weekend with $21 million, slightly ahead of projections domestically but falling just shy of global expectations.
“Renaissance,” the concert film written, directed, and produced by superstar Beyonce, pulled an impressive $21 million in its opening weekend, just ahead of expectations. Its sales rank among the best debuts for a concert film, along with Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour film (a record-breaking $92.9 million), Miley Cyrus’ “Best of Both Worlds” concert film in 2008 ($31.1 million), Justin Bieber’s “Never Say Never” in 2011 ($23 million), and Michael Jackson’s “This Is It” in 2009 ($23 million).
Queen Bey reigned at the box office in the film’s debut, with distributor AMC Theatres telling DMN that it’s the first time in 20 years that a film has opened to more than $20 million during the post-Thanksgiving weekend. The film even pulled slightly ahead of domestic expectations for such a notoriously slow moviegoing weekend.
Globally, the film has earned $27.4 million, falling just short of projections and opening to only $6.4 million in 94 territories. Beyonce’s film is unique in that it’s being distributed by AMC Theatres, just like Taylor Swift’s film, rather than a traditional movie studio. Queen Bey takes home roughly half of the box office earnings, with exhibitors keeping the remaining revenues, while AMC takes a small distribution fee.
The gross revenue is impressive, though Beyonce pulled out all of the publicity stops heading into the opening weekend.
According to AMC, the film’s flash opener in Los Angeles was attended by Jay-Z, Tina Knowles, Mathew Knowles, Tyler Perry, Janelle Monáe, Chloe Bailey, Halle Bailey, Kelly Rowland, Michelle Williams, LeToya Luckett, LaTavia Roberson, Laverne Cox, Kevin Aviance, TS Madison, Niecy Nash, Marsai Martin, Dixson, Winnie Harlow, Robin Thede, Lena Waithe, Gabrielle Union, Issa Rae, Lizzo, Lupita Nyong’o, Ava DuVernay, Andra Day, Victoria Monet, Kris Jenner, Tan France, and Normani — with perhaps the Pope the only notable no-show.
Swift’s “Eras Tour” concert film, which notably opened in more theaters worldwide than did Beyonce’s film, has generated $250 million globally since its release in October. But neither film’s theater ticket sales can hold a candle to the actual live tour’s turnout, with Beyonce raking in a whopping $579 million globally.