A Man Called Otto | 12/30/22 NY/LA, expansion 1/6/23, wide 1/13/23 | Sony | Tom Hanks

[filmlover]

Quote

 

We told you two nights ago that buyers were circling. Now the eagle has landed.  Tom Hanks comedy A Man Called Otto has sold to Sony in a record EFM worldwide rights deal pegged around $60M.

 

Sony has taken global rights to the red-hot package from CAA Media Finance and is lining up a wide domestic theatrical release this Christmas, we understand.

 

Buyers have been clamouring for this one heading into the virtual EFM. There were multiple big offers on the table from studios, indies and a couple of streamers but it ultimately came down to Sony vs international buyers in a close run thing. In terms of EFM records, the deal moves past the $55M Netflix paid last year for Christian Bale thriller The Pale Blue Eye. A big reason Sony got the film is its continuing commitment to theatrical. The film will open year end in around 2000 screens.

 

Tom Hanks Comedy ‘Man Called Otto’ Sells To Sony For $60M: EFM Record – Deadline

Edited December 6, 2022 by filmlover

[Eric Atreides]

https://deadline.com/2022/02/sony-release-dates-oh-hell-no-a-man-called-otto-umma-whitney-houston-biopic-1234957127/

 

December 25 confirmed

[Eric Atreides]

https://deadline.com/2022/07/madame-web-mcu-sony-insidious-5-release-dates-1235072577/

 

• A Man Called Otto (Columbia Pictures) – December 14, 2022 (from December 25, 2022)

[filmlover]

Trailer incoming (most likely next week as an attachment with Ticket to Paradise).

 

Recently rated trailers, commercials and PSAs | Alberta.ca

[Eric Atreides]

 

[filmlover]

[AJG]

They've made this exact movie 12 times already.

[filmlover]

I think this looks very heartwarming. Could see it pulling an Upside and becoming a leggy hit throughout the early months of the year.

[Eric Atreides]

 

[Eric Atreides]

 

[Verrows]

I'm quite surprised that this isn't playing wide over Christmas. Feels like the kind of movie that plays well over the holidays.

[filmlover]

Now only in NY/LA on December 30 followed by an expansion on January 6 followed by wide on January 13

 

https://deadline.com/2022/12/tom-hanks-a-man-called-otto-shifts-christmas-release-1235147329/

[Verrows]

1 hour ago, filmlover said:

Now only in NY/LA on December 30 followed by an expansion on January 6 followed by wide on January 13

 

https://deadline.com/2022/12/tom-hanks-a-man-called-otto-shifts-christmas-release-1235147329/

Missing Christmas entirely now. I don't get a good feeling... Historically, aren't the films that open limited AFTER Christmas kind of the leftovers and duds? Something like 20th Century Women comes to mind.

[filmlover]

5 hours ago, Verrows said:

Missing Christmas entirely now. I don't get a good feeling... Historically, aren't the films that open limited AFTER Christmas kind of the leftovers and duds? Something like 20th Century Women comes to mind.

This is basically a qualifying run for this year’s awards. I also think it goes without saying that enthusiasm for this fall’s Oscar/adult flicks making any money is extremely low at this point and studios are looking to save the few remaining yet-to-be-released titles from the inevitable as much as they can.

[Verrows]

So I looked back for comparables and the most recent comparable is The Iron Lady, which opened in 4 theatres on the same date, December 30 2011, with $220,409 ($55,102 PTA). Guessing we shouldn't expect a PTA close to that for A Man Called Otto huh? It, too, went wide on January 13 with a $5,412,934 3-day but in only 802 theatres. I believe the plan is for Otto to open wider than that

 

An even more recent comparable is 20th Century Women, though that one isn't perfect as it opened on Wednesday the 28th in 2016. That had a $111,200 3-day opening ($27,800 PTA). Also, it went wide on January 20 and not the 13th.

 

I'm honestly surprised that there is a direct comparable because I wasn't aware that any real notable release opened platform AFTER Christmas Day. 

Edited December 31, 2022 by Verrows

[BestPicturePlutoNash]

This is one of the worst 2022 movies. Hanks is miscast. And the marketing is a massive misdirect. It's not a broad crowdpleaser with lightheartened humor--half the movie is Hanks real life non-Chet or Colin son in flashbacks!

 

Excluding News of the World which opened Christmas during pandemic 2020 (2.2m in 1900 theaters) I wouldn't be shocked if it's the lowest opening wide OW of Hanks career when it expands: (over 1k)

 

Which I believe are

Bonfire of the Vanities- 4.2m (Dec 21 1990)

Volunteers- 5.1m (Aug 16 1985)

[BoxOfficeFangrl]

I saw this and everyone stayed to collect themselves watch the credits. Now I understand the 97 percent audience score on RT, though not the $50 million budget, unless they pulled a Revenant and sat around in Pittsburgh for weeks, waiting for actual snow.  Can't wait for Fox News to realize in a couple of weeks that they are very, very outraged about this...

 

 

 

Edited January 12, 2023 by BoxOfficeFangrl

[DAJK]

15 minutes ago, BoxOfficeFangrl said:

I saw this and everyone stayed to collect themselves watch the credits. Now I understand the 97 percent audience score on RT, though not the $50 million budget, unless they pulled a Revenant and sat around in Pittsburgh for weeks, waiting for actual snow.  Can't wait for Fox News to realize in a couple of weeks that they are very, very outraged about this...

 

 

 

Oh boy that makes me excited lol.

 

In all honesty though, I'm looking forward to this. Hopefully seeing it tomorrow night.

[poweranimals]

So why is this movie on the list of 2023 movies when it came out in 2022? Top 2023 Movies at the Domestic Box Office (the-numbers.com)

[BoxOfficeFangrl]

53 minutes ago, poweranimals said:

So why is this movie on the list of 2023 movies when it came out in 2022? Top 2023 Movies at the Domestic Box Office (the-numbers.com)

Maybe because Otto didn’t even have a full weekend in 2022? It was a limited release on 12/30 and the Sunday fell in 2023. It can't be based on the wide release date, because The Numbers classifies American Sniper a 2014 movie. FWIW, Box Office Mojo lists it for 2022 when going by in-year release.