I think I may have posted this before. I just recently came across it again. This list was compiled by the good folks at Indiewire. I stare at it and think it must reveal some greater truth.
What does it say about our culture, about what people want to see? What does it say about the mainstream industry and what they will buy or promote?
Top Grossing Independent Films of the 2000s
1. The Passion of the Christ, 2004 (Newmarket) $370,274,604
2. My Big Fat Greek Wedding, 2003 (IFC Films) $241,438,208
3. Juno, 2007 (Fox Searchlight) $143,395,265
4. Slumdog Millionaire, 2008 (Fox Searchlight) $141,319,928
5. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, 2000 (Sony Pictures Classics) $128,078,872
6. Traffic, 2000 (USA) $124,115,725
7. Fahrenheit 9/11, 2004 (Lionsgate) $119,194,771
8. Paranormal Activity, 2009 (Paramount) $107,753,000
9. Brokeback Mountain, 2005 (Focus Features) $83,043,761
10. March of the Penguins, 2005 (Warner Independent) $77,437,223
11. Coraline, 2009 (Focus Features) $75,286,229
12. Sideways, 2004 (Fox Searchlight) $71,503,593
13. Burn After Reading, 2008 (Focus Features) $60,355,347
14. Little Miss Sunshine, 2006 (Fox Searchlight) $59,891,098
15. Hero, 2004 (Miramax) $53,710,019
16. Atonement, 2007 (Focus Features) $50,927,067
17. 28 Days Later, 2003 (Fox Searchlight) $45,064,915
18. Lost In Translation, 2003 (Focus Features) $44,585,453
19. Napoleon Dynamite, 2004 (Fox Searchlight) $44,540,956
20. Precious: Based on the novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire, 2009 (Lionsgate) $42,004,270
Deadline Hollywood published a great list of the “Indie” Box Office. I think this underscores why I was looking for some new nomenclature when I started this blog.
TOP 20 INDEPENDENTLY FINANCED FILMS
Weekend of October 23–25, 2009
Exclusive To Deadline Hollywood
TITLE, DISTRIB, COMPANY, WKD BOX OFFICE, SCREENS/AVERAGE, CUME
1. PARANORMAL ACTIVITY (Par/IM Global) $21.1M [1,945/$10,850] $61.5M
2. SAW VI (Lionsgate) $14.1M [3,036/$4,650]
3. LAW ABIDING CITIZEN (Overture) $12.4M [2,890/$4,292] $40.0M
4. ASTRO BOY (Summit/Imagi) $6.7M [3,014/$2,224] $6.7M
5. A SERIOUS MAN (Focus) $1.0M [176/$6,211] $3.1M
6. GOOD HAIR (Roadside Attractions) $945K [466/$2,030] $2.8M
7. CAPITALISM: A LOVE STORY (Overture) $726K [636/$1,142] $12.9M
8. WHIP IT (Fox Searchlight/Mandate) $466K [435/$1,071] $12.2M
9. AN EDUCATION (SPC/BBC/Odyssey) $367K [31/$11,851] $940K
10. COCO AVANT CHANEL (SPC/Canal+) $272K [63/$4,321] $1.7M
11. NEW YORK, I LOVE YOU (Vivendi) $230K [110/$2,092] $747K
12. FAME (MGM/Lakeshore) $212K [445/$477] $22.0M
13. BRIGHT STAR (Apparition/TVA) $212K [209/$1,015] $3.9M
14. TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE** (Warner/New Line) $203K [284/$718] $62.8M
15. I CAN DO BAD ALL BY MYSELF (Lionsgate) $178K [273/$655] $51.6M
16. INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (Weinstein/Uni) $176K [206/$857] $119.3M
17. DISTRICT 9 (Sony/QED) $148K [232/$638] $115.5M
18. 5150, RUE DES ORMES (Alliance Films) $107K [55/$1,955] $787K
19. MORE THAN A GAME (Lionsgate) $99K [107/$929] $749K
20. THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE (Roadside0 $89K [61/$1,469] $3.4M
** A New Line production distributed through Warner Brothers.
This site could not have been built without the help and insight of Michael Morgenstern. My thanks go out to him.
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