UK box office for the first six months of 2017 grew from £610m last year to £650m an increase of 6.55% the UK Cinema Association and BFI will claim average ticket price has increased about 3% from last year from £7.41 to £7.61.
But despite non-peak cheaper tickets now offered at Odeon and Vue Cinemas midweek real average is closer to £10 as anyone who goes to the cinema will know. It’s almost like the industry thinks if they keep repeating average is only £7.41 they think people will ignore the fact they brought their ticket at the cinema using a £10 note and didn’t get any change.
425 films were released in the first 6 months of with the 97 films from the main 10 distributors took £580.69 (89.3%) £69.31 (10.6%) shared between other 328 films. But this includes Secret Cinema Moulin Rouge and the many Event Cinema screenings with tickets £75+ and £20+ so while it looks a lot having not access to complete ComScore data independent cinema probably made 3% of the total but was 300 films.
In January made my predictions for the top 20 films with many still to be released was close to many of them the biggest difference was for Beauty and the Beast while knew it was going to be big being second biggest film of the year as it will be should have expected much more than £45m+
Disney
Released three films taking £132.48m
Top 3: Beauty and the Beast £72.36m – Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 £ 40.95m – Pirates of the Caribbean 5 £19.17m
Disney released only three films in the first six months but all three were still more successful than their rivals. But after Beauty and the Beast opened with £19.7m and became the eighth biggest film in the UK still fell short of beating Toy Story 4. But if calculating its performance by admission it was only 16th in the top 20 shows how much tickets price inflation has impacted on film box office over the last 20 years.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 opened twice as big as the first film but took only 43% more was much more front-loaded as most comic-book movies are. While Pirates of the Caribbean 5 was always likely to be Disney’s unwanted sequel similar to last year’s it also starred Johnny Depp.
Big 3 upcoming releases: Cars 3, Thor: Ragnarok and Star Wars VIII The Last Jedi
Cars was always the poor relation of the Pixar family with first opened July 2006 with £2.66m taking £16.1m and Cars 2 in July 2011 with £3.54m taking £15.09m the third is likely to do similar being in the shadows of Despicable Me 3 which will be the biggest animated film of the year.
With the addition of The Hulk and more Guardians of the Galaxy humour Thor: Ragnarok is expected to perform far better than the previous two Thor films with a likely £30m+ box office.
After the huge success of Star Wars: The Force Awakens two years ago and last year’s Rogue One, Can Star Wars VIII The Last Jedi top the £33.9m opening and £123m total. As critics were caught up with the hype six months later realised as many cinemagoers felt it was a fan remake of A New Hope with expectations that The Last Jedi will be similarly of The Empire Strikes Back with the predictable reveal no I am your father….. from R2-D2 to BB-8
Entertainment Films
Released four films taking £13.06m
Top 3: Lion £11.76m – The Bye Bye Man £0.9m – The Space Between Us – £0.03m
In the early 2000s Entertainment Films were the biggest independent distributor in the UK thanks to having an output deal with New Line which gave them the Lord of the Rings trilogy but after several flops including The Golden Compass in 2007 Warner Bros brought the studio in-house which saw Warner releasing their films instead of Entertainment.
At the same time eOne, Lionsgate and Studiocanal were aggressively acquiring films which saw Entertainment drop down the pecking order. Shows how tough it is being an independent distributor when your dependent on acquisitions and output deals what a difference a year makes for their rivals Lionsgate boosted by £30m+ La La Land while first six months were disappointing Studiocanal know they have their £30m+ movie to save their year in November Paddington 2 but after taking £100m last year eOne will likely be down to 2015 BO this year despite releasing over 30 films.
Next January they will release their second Steven Spielberg film The Papers starring Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep when it was announced it was seen as an Oscar favorite with Tom Hanks possibly winning his third Best Actor Oscar 24 years after he won two in two years for Philadelphia and Forrest Gump but since Daniel Day-Lewis recently announced his acting retirement after Phantom Thread he is now favourite to win.
But of course there is a long way to go to Oscar night as La La Land and Moonlight weren’t being mentioned this time this year only reason La La Land was because it was delayed from mid July to December had it opened in July without film festival hype and against summer movies would it of had it’s success at the box office and Oscars winning Best Film… no that went to Moonlight.
But they still have an output deal with Weinstein Company who also have cut back in recent years but still gave them their biggest film of this year Lion and The Hateful Eight last year.
Big 3 upcoming releases: War With Grandpa, A Bad Moms Christmas and Overdrive
Robert De Niro starring in another family comedy 30 years ago he was starring in the excellent The Untouchables, now War with Grandpa his follow-up to Dirty Grandpa. A Bad Moms Christmas looks much like the first film which performed ok but far from the success it was in the US with British audiences preferring Bridget Jones’s Baby which opened a few weeks later which was a remake of Mamma Mia now 10 years later we get Mamma Mia 2 next year!!!
eOne
Released 19 films taking £15.78m
Top 3: Peppa Pig: My First Cinema Experience £3.62m – Jackie £3.03m – A Monster Calls £2.86m
None of their films that were seen in 2016 as potential award contenders failed to make much impact during award season and then at the box office. With Peppa Pig: My First Cinema Experience their biggest film of the year so far.
Big 3 upcoming releases: 47 Metres Down, Detroit, Suburbicon
What a difference a year makes for eOne as last year they had The BFG and The Girl on the Train upcoming this year may have more films than many of their rivals few that might find a wide audience. After having one of their best years releasing 21 films taking £102.57m (up to 18th December), compared with only £39.74m in 2015; The BFG taking £30.64m and The Girl on the Train £23.65m both performing far stronger in the UK than the US.
eOne have many more films they will release this year but none likely to get close to the success they had last year when they took more than £100m at the box office they will lucky to take half of this in 2017 showing how dependent independent distributors are on the companies that supply them films. What a difference a year makes Lionsgate £30m with La La Land and Studiocanal will have a poor year but know they have the £30m+ Paddington 2 opening in November which will save their year.
Detroit and Suburbicon are both likely to generate some interest but are unlikely to b box office hits.
20th Century Fox
Released 13 films taking £94.86m
Top 3: The Boss Baby £28.52m – Logan £23.8m – Alien: Covenant £12.91m
The penultimate Dreamworks Animation film released by 20th Century Fox was their highest grossing they have released nine films over the past 4 years taking £173m at the box office their final film Captain Underpants opens later this month which is likely to be overshadowed by Cars 3 and The Emoji Movie. Losing Dreamworks Animation will leave a big gap in their release schedule but Blue Sky Studios is expected to take some of the slack with their first release Ferdinand based on the classic children’s book opens in December.
Logan the final X-Men movie to star Hugh Jackman became the sixth biggest X-Men movie in the UK the 10 films have taken over £261m at the box office. 20th Century Fox has recently announced six untitled Marvel films to be released up to 2021 having already dated New Mutants, Deadpool 2 and Dark Phoenix for 2018.
Fox had several disappointing performances including Alien: Covenant taking almost half of the previous Alien film Prometheus in 2013. While Assassin Creed was expected to start a franchise, the opening was artificially inflated with an extended opening which helped it overtake Star Wars: Rogue One but dropped heavily in its following weekends. Snatched repeated the failure of many gross-out films in recent years a 90s comedy opening 20 years late.
While Hidden Figures shockingly missed out on any major awards performed strongly despite released in a crowded marketplace taking £6.13m while Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul performed far better in the UK than the US taking £5.53m.
After flopping in the US, A Cure for Wellness, Table19, Rules Don’t Apply and Wilson did similar in the UK while both Gifted and My Cousin Rachel failed to find an audience in a busy marketplace.
Big 3 upcoming releases: War for the Planet of the Apes, Kingsman: The Golden Circle, Murder on the Orient Express
War for the Planet of the Apes has received very positive reviews likely to do close to the previous two films Planet of the Apes opened August 2011 £5.83m taking £20.54m and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes opened in July 2014 £8.70m taking £32.71m. Kingsman: The Golden Circle was surprisingly delayed from June to September the sequel to the surprise hit Kingsman: The Secret Service opened February 2015 with $4.23m taking £16.4m.
Murder on the Orient Express Kenneth Branagh directed an ensemble cast for this remake of the classic Agatha Christie novel the trailer pleased many fans as Johnny Depp’s character is the one that died after his previous films have died at the box office its best his not on screen for long.
Also opening include their final Dreamworks Animation film Captain Underpants and their first Blu Sky Studios since Ice Age: Collusion Course Ferdinand, their two Sundance Film Festival acquisitions Step and Patti Cake$, The Mountain Between Us starring Idris Elba and Kate Winslet, Goodbye Christopher Robin telling the story of Winnie Pooh author A.A. Milne and Battle of the Sexes starring Emma Stone in her first film since winning Best Actress Oscar for La La Land.
Lionsgate
Released 10 films taking £48.75m
Top 3: La La Land £30.4m – Hacksaw Ridge £5.48m – Power Rangers £4.52m
The overhyped La La Land took 62% of Lionsgate’s box office for the first 6 months far too much has been written about the film already elsewhere all I will say is that in a few years’ time it will be compared to Paul Haggis 2014 film Crash. Hacksaw Ridge performed strongly which shockingly has seen Mel Gibson returning to Hollywood with a role in Daddy’s Home 2.
Power Rangers which was planned to be the start of a franchise but after its disappointing global performance unlikely there will be the second instalment was poorly dated opening the week after Beauty and the Beast. Their Finest, Patriot’s Day and Churchill despite strong marketing campaigns failed to find their audiences.
3 upcoming releases: Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, The Hitman’s Bodyguard, My Little Pony
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets is the biggest unknown directed by Luc Besson who directed The Fifth Element 20 years ago it is the highest budget French film ever made trailers have looked stunning early reviews have been positive but how will audiences react will they prefer to hear Patrick Stewart as poo in The Emoji Movie?
The first trailer was released in November; part of its unique marketing campaign if someone shared the trailer on Twitter would get a personalised version of the trailer.
Luc Besson’s The Fifth Element took £7.08m in June 1997 is the 22nd biggest film of 1997; the biggest films of 1997 were The Full Monty £40.81m, Men in Black £35.8m and The Lost World: Jurassic Park £25.79m. Leon opened February 3rd taking £3.68m the 34th biggest film of 1995 but in the years since has become a cult classic close to Shawshank Redemption opened two weeks after took only £2.63m 49th biggest film of 1995. The biggest films of 1995 were Batman Forever £20.01m, Casper £15.96m, Braveheart £11.02m
The Hitman’s Bodyguard looks like a remake of The Bodyguard while My Little Pony will try to play to 80s nostalgia but will children but this is so hit and miss never know how the audience might respond.
Paramount
Released 6 films taking £29.2m
Top 3: Baywatch £9.37m – Transformers: The Last Knight £7.94m – Ghost in the Shell £5.55m
Another disappointing six months Paramount with all six films disappointing Baywatch after it’s 22 Jump Street marketing was expected to take double and launch a new franchise for the studio. While Transformers: The Last Knight performed as most expected but not for Paramount as they see it as one of their three big franchises (Star Trek and Mission Impossible) with plans for extended universe and spinoffs with the first Bumblebee released next year.
When Disney let go of US rights for Ghost in the Shell it was time to worry about the film which disappointed as XxX3: The Return of Xander Cage 12 years after the last film which took far less than the first film was one of many unwanted pointless sequels made but the studios audiences had no interest most of which were predictable.
Despite Oscar nominations, Fences failed to cross over to a wider audience as Hidden Figures and Moonlight did opening the three films so close together didn’t help. While the long-delayed Rings reboot which was talked of at CinemCon as the first part of a new franchise expectedly flopped.
3 upcoming releases: mother!, Cloverfield 3 and Daddy’s Home 2
Little is known about Darren Aronofsky psychological horror-thriller Mother! it does sound close to 2000 film What Lies Beneath after Passengers and Hunger Games Jennifer Lawrence can’t do wrong at the box office will be helped that her other film Red Sparrow was delayed till March 2018.
Cloverfield 3 aka God Particle is close to last year’s The Cellar which became 10 Cloverfield Lane did far less than the first Cloverfield film. Strangely Paramount in their wisdom is releasing it several weeks after the US these films work when there aren’t spoilers and close to 10 Cloverfield Lane which opened a week after the US it will harm its box office. Paramount has already dated Overlord for release next October which will almost certainly be retitled next year as Cloverfield 4 as they plan to churn these films out yearly as they had previously done with Paranormal Activity.
The first Daddy’s Home was a surprise was a sleeper hit against Star Wars: The Force Awakens but as with Bad Moms it is a one film movie and these kinds of films don’t work the second time around.
Sony
Released 8 films £30.93m
Top 3: T2: Trainspotting £16.95m – The Smurfs: The Lost Village £5.62m – Life £3.68m
21 years later T2: Trainspotting generated much nostalgia opening strongly but was much more front-loaded than the original film which was the tenth biggest film of 1996 taking £12.43m whilst the sequel took a third more the inflation increased box office would have been £26m. Whilst the sequel performed far better than Independence Day: Resurgence 20 years after the first film took £36.8m after its huge marketing campaign and media coverage did less than expected.
The Smurfs: The Lost Village was a reboot of the franchise but due to poor dating opening close to Beauty and the Beast and The Boss Baby unlikely there will be another anytime soon. Life was a poor man’s Aliens again opened in a crowded market and failed to get past the Alien clone what was strange was a few months later when Life was originally due to open Alien: Covenant was a Life rip-off.
Underworld: Blood Wars, Resident Evil 6 and Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk all expectedly flopped.
Opening the last week of June taking £3.68m Baby Driver could match the box office of T2: Trainspotting while Spider-Man: Homecoming opens this weekend expected to open with £13m+ over its five-day sun affected opening will look to match the box office of previous Spider-Man films and some MCU films in the UK as it has been described by Marvel as the second part of a five-part MCU story arc that started with Captain America: Civil War last year and will end with Spider-Man: Homecoming 2 in 2019.
3 upcoming: The Dark Tower, Bladerunner 2049 and Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle
The Dark Tower the first of two films based Stephen King novels was in development for over 10 years at many different studios and with many different directors attached originally with J.J Abrams attached to direct. The project moved to Universal in 2010 with Ron Howard attached to direct with a May 17th, 2013 release date planned. Was originally due for release in February with the trailer released in October it was leaked online but was finally released in May. There is as much expectation for The Dark Tower as It will it meet expectations and continue Sony Pictures recent success?
Long in development sequel to the 1982 classic film directed by Ridley Scott starring Harrison Ford, Ryan Gosling, Robin Wright, Mackenzie Davis, Dave Bautista, and Jared Leto and directed by Denis Villeneuve. Development started in 1999 based on The Edge of Human, titled Blade Runner Down which was shelved due to rights issues, Ridley Scott then started developing a sequel titled Metropolis.
Ten years later was reported Ridley Scott was working on a sequel to his brother Tony but still had many delays until February 2015 when Denis Villeneuve was officially announced he would direct with Harrison Ford returning. In July 2015 was announced Warner Bros would release in the US and Sony Pictures would release the film internationally.
The original opened 35 years ago while being a cult classic never match up to the box office success of other sci-fi films of the time like Star Wars and Star Trek. For many years after was the talk of a sequel but the problem will be close to Star Wars and their prequels and The Force Awakens and Trainspotting 2 will the sequel possibly live up to 35 years of expectations. While fans have loved the trailers will it cross over to a wider audience as despite being called a classic the original film flopped. Sci-fi over recent years have been very successful Gravity, Interstellar, The Martian and Arrival and Blade Runner 2049 has the advantage over all of them as is a sequel. Paramount Pictures recently announced another sci-fi film that will open the same weekend in 2019 Gemini Man starring Will Smith and directed by Ang Lee.
When the remake was first announced in August 2015 internet response was negative with many saying it was too soon after Robin Williams death. The casting of Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart of easing some of that negativity but then when the first picture was released in September was an outcry over Karen Gillan’s revealing costume, is the criticism the filmmakers said the film would explain why she is wearing the outfit. 2002 film Zathura was marketed as a spiritual sequel to Jumanji with the tagline “A new adventure from the world of Jumanji” the film received positive reviews from critics but flopped at the box office opened in February 2006 with £1.31m taking £4.11m. The original film opened in February 1996 with £2.1m taking £13.41m. Opening a week after Star Wars: The Last Jedi Sony will hope to repeat the success of Daddy’s Home against The Force Awakens.
Also opening Rough Night after flopping in the US will do similarly in the UK, Flatliners reboot 27 years after the original do we really need another? All Saints sadly not a biopic of the 90s female pop group telling the real story making their film Honest. Call Me By Your Name acquired at Sundance which received critical acclaim.
Studiocanal
Released 8 films taking £9.5m
Top 3: Manchester by the Sea £3.21m – Silence £2.17m – The Sense of Ending £1.17m
A disappointing start of the year with their biggest success the Oscar-winning Manchester by the Sea but everything else disappointed Martin Scorsese’s long in development Silence expectedly flopped, The Sense of Ending opened during a crowded market failing to find an audience.
While Free Fire closed the London Film Festival last October but wasn’t released for almost 6 months losing all the media coverage it received instead tried to replicate the success of Ben Wheatley’s last film High Rise which opened in March 2015. While Mindhorn, The Lost City of Z, The Founder and Gold failed to make much impact at the box office.
3 upcoming: Paddington 2, Logan Lucky, The Big Sick
Sequel to the 2014 film with Hugh Grant and Brendan Gleeson joining the original cast of Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Peter Capaldi, Ben Whishaw and Imelda Staunton. Paddington opened November 28th, 2014 with £5.11m, dropping 25% and 24% in its second and third weekends taking £14.3m but then doubled its box office adding £15.1m over the two lucrative weeks of Christmas holidays going on to take £37.8m.
The BFG performed close to Paddington in July 2016 opening with £5.28m and going on to take £30.64m becoming one of Steven Spielberg’s biggest films ever in the UK; both based on beloved children’s characters. Being the first family film out for Christmas 2017 as original was in 2014 Disney is opening Coco two weeks after US opening to try to avoid suffering the same fate as Penguins of Madagascar suffered opening the weekend after Paddington.
While Disney has had success with their summer animated film release Frozen in 2013 was the last time they have had similar success at Christmas. If the sequel is received as positively as the original, it should be one of the biggest films of the year.
Also opening Terminator 2: Judgement Day 3D, The Mercy starring Colin Firth
Universal Pictures
Released 13 films taking £126.6m
Top 3: Furious 8 £29.54m – Sing £28.84m – Fifty Shades Darker £22.69m
After the massive success of Furious 7 in 2015 which brought critics to tears after Paul Walker’s death Furious 8 could never match its success similarly after the hype Fifty Shades of Grey received but then the negativity received after opening Fifty Shades Darker was always likely to be half the film the original was.
Sing performed strongly thanks to opening before one of the most lucrative weeks of the year February half term which this year generated £45m at the box office. As with The Secret Life of Pets, Sing could be a rip-off of last year’s Zootropolis with animals being part of a musical competition which was part of the of their second film Hop.
Universal’s big surprises were Split and Get Out but then their flops were The Mummy, The Great Wall, The Book of Henry and The Zookeeper’s Wife.
3 upcoming: Atomic Blonde, American Made and Pitch Perfect 3
After having a great first six months as last year their second six months is light on potential hits having changed its title from The Coldest City to Atomic Blonde and made it into a female John Wick should spark up interest at the box office following girl power of Wonder Woman. After the disappointing performance of The Mummy Tom Cruise reteams with his Edge of Tomorrow director Doug Liman I American Made. Next up for Tom Cruise are Mission Impossible 6 and Top Gun 2.
Pitch Perfect 3, the first film opened December 21st, 2012 opening with £952,000 taking £6.7m the sequel opened May 15th, 2015 with £4.92m (up 425% from the original film) taking £1.59m on its opening day went on to take £17.23m. After the massive success of the sequel, a third film was soon announced with a July 21st, 2017 date announced before being pushed back to August 4th it was pushed back to December in October. Elizabeth Banks was attached to direct and has since been replaced by Trish Sie he only film previously was 2014’s Step Up: All In, the fifth part of the dance film series.
Also opening The Snowman starring Michael Fassbender, Ingrid Goes West showing the dark side of Instagram and Happy Death Day a teen Groundhog Day style horror and for older audiences Cannes winner The Beguiled and Victoria and Abdul starring Judi Dench as Queen Victoria repeating a role she played 20 years ago in Mrs Brown while The Beguiled is a remake of 1971 film starring Clint Eastwood.
Warner Bros
Released 13 films taking £79.53m
Top 3:
The Lego Batman Movie £27m – Wonder Woman £20.73m – Kong: Skull Island £15.61m
Despite two films taking over £20m in the first six month, it’s been a disappointing start of 2017 as both The Lego Batman Movie and Wonder Woman received strong marketing campaigns and positive reviews but still fell short of expectations. The Lego Batman Movie suffered opening second to Sing as the half term film as even though it’s a far more enjoyable film the first family film opening normally has the advantage over the second film.
While Wonder Woman was affected by several non-film related issues hot sunny weather (is the typical exhibitor excuse for disappointing box office) but more the London terrorist attacks and the One Love Manchester concert organized by Ariana Grande after the terrorist attack at the end of her concert in May as over 21 million watched the brilliant concert on BBC many of them being young women who were more inspired by their real-life Wonder Woman Ariana Grande.
Kong: Skull Island had similar box office to 2014’s Godzilla. John Wick 2 was their best performer taking much more than the first film which opened over 6 months after its US opening week after Furious 7.
Warner had many flops many of which were predictable King Arthur, The House, Chips and Unforgettable but Live by Night was probably caused by Warner deciding to rush release the film a year before it was due to open so not giving Ben Affleck time to finish the film properly whilst as with the many the Oscar contenders been squeezed out by Moonlight and La La Land.
3 upcoming: Dunkirk, It and Justice League
Dunkirk starring Tom Hardy, Kenneth Branagh, Mark Rylance, Harry Styles and Cillian Murphy directed by Christopher Nolan shot in IMAX 65MM. Will be released two days earlier in 70mm IMAX, 70mm and 35mm.
The first trailer was released in August with Suicide Squad the second trailer was released in December 2016 screened with Rogue One while in selective IMAX screenings of Rogue One they screened a seven-minute preview. Opening Dunkirk, the week after War for the Planet of the Apes both adult war thrillers will be targeting similar audiences which could be problematic?
Christopher Nolan’s last film Interstellar opened November 2014 with £5.37m taking £20.06m. the similar box office is likely for Dunkirk. Pearl Harbour opened June 2001 with £3.07m taking £14.22m Saving Private Ryan opened September 1998 with £2.7m taking £18.74m.
Justice League is the fifth part of the DC Extended Universe starring Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot, Ezra Miller, Jason Momoa, Ray Fisher, and Ciarán Hinds and directed by Zack Snyder. After the success of Wonder Woman fans hope that Justice League will be made in a similar style rather than Batman Vs Superman, Suicide Squad and Man of Steel.
Warner Bros started development of Justice League in 2007 with George Miller signed to direct but then the writers’ strike put the film on hold was due to start filming in summer 2008 with release summer 2009. But after the success of The Dark Knight Warner Bros decided to focus on the Batman trilogy and made Green Lantern in 2011 which was a flop (opening with £2.41m). Instead went to coventrate on Man of Steel and Batman Vs Superman which was to set up Justice League. In October 2014 Warner Bros announced plans to release two films the first in November 2017 and the second in June 2019; started shooting at Leavesden Studios in April 2016 wrapping production in October.
After becoming the most-watched teaser trailer in the first 24 hours 197m views globally topping the previous record of 139mby The Fate of the Furious and 246m after 36 hours will they all come out to see It when opens in September?
Also opening Annabelle 2 the fourth film in The Conjuring film series it has currently 100% Rotten Tomatoes score something Geostorm won’t the long-delayed Gerald Butler disaster film. Ninjago the second Lego movie of the year opens for half term with young adult drama Everything Everything and The Nut Job 2 open in August.
STX Entertainment launches their UK distribution three years after opening in the US but without the sequel to their biggest film in the US Bad Moms Christmas which will be released in the UK by Entertainment Films. Their first three films are Wind River starring Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen. Home Again starring Reese Witherspoon in her first film since the excellent TV drama Big Little Lies. Breathe directed by Andy Serkis starring Andrew Garfield and Claire Foy has recently been announced to open the London Film Festival in October.
What is vital for a distributor setting up in the UK as the US has the one big film this was meant to be Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman but after Paramount let go of US rights Netflix pounced for world rights. STX have recently acquired international rights to Ridley Scott’s All the Money in the World which will be the first film released by an independent distributor in the UK which were White Squall and G.I Jane two films First Independent Films acquired which much fanfare in 1996 but both flopped at the box office.