Anorahas broken a major box office record for 2024. The new Sean Baker movie, which has major Oscar buzz and a Certified Fresh Rotten Tomatoes score of 98%, stars Mikey Madison as an exotic dancer who marries Russian heir Vanya (Mark Eydelshteyn), only to have her Cinderella fantasy shattered when his family resists the match. TheAnorareleaseis starting small before a wide expansion throughout the Fall, beginning its run with a limited debut in just six theaters in North America.
PerVariety, as of Sunday morning,Anorais projected to debut with a domestic opening weekend of $540,000. While this total is too low for it to land on the Top 10 chart for the weekend, it means thatthe movie has earned a whopping per-screen average of $90,000. Not only is this the best per-screen average of the year so far, it is the second-best since theaters reopened following the pandemic shutdowns in 2020, only behind Wes Anderson’sAsteroid City, which had a $142,230 average in six theaters during its opening weekend in 2023.
What This Means For Anora
It Could Become A Major Indie Hit
This dazzling per-screen average shows thatAnorais very likely set up for major success as it continues to expand nationwide, at least on the scale of an independent release. If it maintains a pace proportional toAsteroid City’s run, itcould leg out to a cumulative domestic total of $18 million or moreby the end of its run. This would see it outgrossing the domestic totals of other 2024 releases such as Ti West’sMaXXXine($15.1 million), Coralie Fargeat’sThe Substance($12.5 million), and Rose Glass’Love Lies Bleeding($8.4 million).
If it makes $18 million,Anorawill become the second highest-grossing 2024 movie distributed by NEON at the domestic box office, behindLonglegs($74 million).
However, the moviecould receive a huge boost as its release continues.Anorareviewshave given it a much stronger Rotten Tomatoes score thanAsteroid City, which only had 76%. Similarly, it has built up tremendous Oscar buzz, particularly for lead actor Mikey Madison. If it is nominated for even one Oscar, let alone more, it will bestAsteroid City, which was nominated for none, likely diminishing general audience interest in the Anderson film as awards season heated up.
Our Take On The Anora Box Office
The Movie’s Commercial Success Could Help Its Awards Potential
This record-breaking per-screen average is very likelyonly the beginning for the new movie. If it continues to grow and break further records, it will likely seize the attention of awards bodies, potentially resulting in major accolades for Sean Baker and other top-line crew members, in addition to Madison and the rest of theAnoracast, which also includes Yura Borisov, Karren Karagulian, Vache Tovmasyan, and Aleksei Serebryakov.
Anora
Cast
Anora’s life takes a dramatic twist when she impulsively marries the son of a Russian oligarch, catapulting her from the streets of Brooklyn to a world of opulence and scrutiny. As her new in-laws arrive with plans to dismantle the hasty union, Anora must navigate the cultural and social chasms between her past and her present. The film, directed by Sean Baker, masterfully blends sharp social commentary with heartfelt drama, painting a vivid picture of love, identity, and the unexpected consequences of a fairytale gone awry.
