The Grosses ARE IN: The Undefeated Grosses $5000 Per Theater

The grosses are in, and "The Undefeated" grossed an average of $5000 per theater through Saturday night!

Victory Film Group reports:

ARC Entertainment Announces Strong Opening for "The Undefeated," with Multiple Sold-Out Runs and Vocal Audience Support

  
SANTA MONICA, Calif., July 17, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- ARC Entertainment, the distributor of “The Undefeated,” the film about Gov. Sarah Palin’s rise from obscurity to national prominence, announced today that through Saturday night the film had a stronger opening than expected with the large markets trending towards weekend per screen averages above $10,000 driven by multiple sold-out runs.  The film had accumulated approximately $5,000 per screen through Saturday night. Unique in the theatrical feature world, The Undefeated was rushed to select digital theatres in only 3 weeks, and was marketed almost entirely through social media and grass roots efforts, with virtually no traditional media spend.  With the strong initial showing, the film is going to a wider release footprint later this month, with details being announced soon.

The film opened in 10 markets on Friday including Atlanta, GA, Dallas, TX, Houston, TX, Denver, CO, Phoenix, AZ, Orlando, FL, Indianapolis, IN, Kansas City, MO, Oklahoma City, OK and Orange, CA.

“We are extremely pleased with the audience reaction, which has been over-the-top enthusiastic and very passionate, including standing ovations at most screenings,” said Trevor Drinkwater, CEO of ARC Entertainment, the film’s distributor. “We expect word-of-mouth to keep ticket sales strong and we will definitely expand the film to a wider national audience.  With merely three weeks of preparation and a virtually non-existent traditional advertising spend, the film did exceptionally well. ” .

“We have been told the theaters in Phoenix, Atlanta, Denver and Indianapolis moved  the film to bigger screens to accommodate oversized crowds. Because of high-ticket sales, the Phoenix theater put ‘The Undefeated’ on two screens during one showing to accommodate demand,” stated Andy Badolato, VP Marketing and Business Development of Victory Film Group and Associate Producer of “The Undefeated.”

Over the weekend reports also documented the strong ticket sales and enthusiastic audience reaction.  Reuters reported, “It may not be ‘Harry Potter,’ but another film featuring a bespectacled protagonist is racking up strong pre-sales before its national roll-out this weekend.”  AOL’s Patch reported, “Reactions from filmgoers attending the screening were overwhelmingly positive.”  The Brisbane Times of Australia reported, “‘The Undefeated,’ a documentary tracing Sarah Palin’s rise to political power, has opened in US theatres to overwhelmingly positive opinion.”

“ARC Entertainment and its digital distribution partner Cinedigm did an incredible job opening weekend,” said Stephen K. Bannon, the film’s writer and director. “This was a high risk bet- a national release in ten disparate markets with only three weeks preparation supported solely by social media. What would have taken months and cost millions in P & A, ARC Entertainment and Cinedigm accomplished within a month with negligible costs. This film will find its audience because of its appeal and our savvy distribution partners.”

Update: Be sure to also read the follow up on this post: " More on The Undefeated's Strong Attendance and Better-Than-Expected Grosses "