"You Can See Everything" achieved a rare feat, becoming a must-see documentary on the big screen. Directed by Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim, the much-hyped look at Elizabeth Holmes generated $15 million from just 855 theaters. That was enough for second place behind Paramount's video game adaptation "Street Fighter," which opened to $30 million from 3,575 venues. Heading into the weekend, the film had been aiming for $7 million to $8 million, a remarkable result for a documentary, especially one running nearly three hours that wasn't on anyone's radar until two months ago.
After a surprise world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival, the film became a word-of-mouth sensation, bolstered by some of the year's best reviews. A24 produced the movie in secret over three years for roughly $7 million and reported more than 2,000 sold-out screenings as audiences rushed to avoid spoilers on the story of the Theranos founder before she began an 11-year prison sentence for defrauding investors. The drama surrounding Holmes, whose rise and fall was depicted in the Hulu series "The Dropout," clearly captivates audiences, but the turnout also reflects the appeal of Fielder, known for blending reality and fiction in works like HBO's "The Rehearsal."
Around 70% of opening weekend crowds were under 35, and exit polls showed 90% of ticket buyers would "definitely recommend" the film. The result is a notable debut: the largest opening for any film on under 1,000 screens since 2006's "Borat" and the biggest documentary opening in over 20 years. Analyst David A. Gross called it a giant weekend for the genre, noting documentaries rarely receive wide releases and average about $3 million over their first three days.
Source: New York Times Business · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing