Another unexpected top 10 entry: Scott Cooper’s horror thriller “Antlers,” another Searchlight Pictures holdover from its initial 2020 slate, which is trailing just behind “Last Night in Soho.” It’s the second horror-centric entry on the list from Searchlight, clocking in just above David Bruckner’s “The Night House,” which the studio released in August after debuting at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. (Of interest: “The Night House” stars “Passing” filmmaker Rebecca Hall, whose debut feature just enjoyed a brief theatrical run before heading to Netflix this week; too bad then that Netflix does not report box office numbers, as Hall might be in line for a two-fer.)
As awards season starts to hit its peak, more contenders are bound for the specialty box office, and while Larraín’s “Spencer” and Hogg’s “The Souvenir Part II” have failed to crack our list of top 20 performers, potential nominations and accolades from awards bodies might lift them, too. And still to come: “Belfast,” “The Humans,” “Licorice Pizza,” “Red Rocket,” “Cyrano,” and more. The specialty sector isn’t out of contention just yet, and neither are the rest of its big-time 2021 releases to come. Our list includes domestic (U.S. and Canada only, unless otherwise indicated) grosses for specialty films — which we define as independent, foreign (including Bollywood films), and/or documentary films — that opened in limited release (599 screens and under) in 2021. They also may include titles acquired or produced for 2021 distribution by an independent distributor (including but not limited to STX Films, Annapurna, United Artists Releasing, A24, Entertainment Studios, IFC Films, Magnolia Pictures, Open Road, and Bleecker Street) or a studio’s specialty division (including Searchlight, Sony Pictures Classics, and Focus Features). Given the rapidly changing state of the box office world (and its attendant reporting), this list only includes movies that opened in theaters during 2021, including brick-and-mortar businesses and drive-ins. For more information on streaming and VOD box office takes, please check out our weekly updates in those markets right here. When provided, this list also includes budgets for each film. Last year’s list can be found here.
Grosses include all reported grosses (via BoxOfficeMojo or as provided by a film’s representative) up to November 9, 2021. This chart is updated every Tuesday afternoon (or Wednesday afternoon after holiday weekends).
“Demon Slayer: Mugen Train” Distributor: FUNimation Entertainment Budget (if reported): NA Release Date: April 23 Opening Theater Count: 1,600 Opening Average: $13,215 Current Gross: $47,700,000
“Wrath of Man” Distributor: United Artists Releasing Budget (if reported): NA Release Date: May 5 Opening Theater Count: 2,875 Opening Average: $2,890 Current Gross: $27,466,489 Courtesy of A24
“The Green Knight” Distributor: A24 Budget (if reported): NA Release Date: July 30 Opening Theater Count: 2,790 Opening Average: $2,417 Current Gross: $17,173,321
“The Marksman” Distributor: Open Road Films Budget (if reported): NA Release Date: January 15 Opening Theater Count: 1,975 Opening Average: $1,571 Current Gross: $15,566,093
“Stillwater” Distributor: Focus Features Budget (if reported): NA Release Date: July 30 Opening Theater Count: 2,531 Opening Average: $2,049 Current Gross: $14,465,535
“The French Dispatch” Distributor: Searchlight Pictures Budget (if reported): NA Release Date: October 22 Opening Theater Count: 52 Opening Average: $25,938 Current Gross: $8,452,021 Searchlight
“Last Night in Soho” Distributor: Focus Features Budget (if reported): NA Release Date: October 29 Opening Theater Count: 3,016 Opening Average: $1,385 Current Gross: $7,640,510
“Antlers” Distributor: Searchlight Pictures Budget (if reported): NA Release Date: October 29 Opening Theater Count: 2,800 Opening Average: $1,525 Current Gross: $7,577,158
“The Protege” Distributor: Lionsgate Budget (if reported): NA Release Date: August 20 Opening Theater Count: 2,577 Opening Average: $1,128 Current Gross: $7,446,823
“The Night House” Distributor: Searchlight Pictures Budget (if reported): NA Release Date: August 20 Opening Theater Count: 2,240 Opening Average: $1,276 Current Gross: $7,100,581 YouTube/screenshot
“The Courier” Distributor: Roadside Attractions (acquired at Sundance 2020) Budget (if reported): NA Release Date: March 19 Opening Theater Count: 1,443 Opening Average: $1,313 Current Gross: $6,613,432
“Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain” Distributor: Focus Features Budget (if reported): NA Release Date: July 16 Opening Theater Count: 927 Opening Average: $2,145 Current Gross: $5,249,970
“Copshop” Distributor: Open Road Films Budget (if reported): NA Release Date: September 17 Opening Theater Count: 3,005 Opening Average: $770 Current Gross: $5,213,243
“Zola” Distributor: A24 Budget (if reported): $5 million Release Date: June 30 Opening Theater Count: 1,468 Opening Average: $1,125 Current Gross: $4,844,399
“Separation” Distributor: Open Road Films Budget (if reported): NA Release Date: April 30 Opening Theater Count: 1,751 Opening Average: $1,028 Current Gross: $4,509,143 Focus Features
“Boogie” Distributor: Focus Features Budget (if reported): NA Release Date: March 5 Opening Theater Count: 1,252 Opening Average: $958 Current Gross: $4,178,620
“Pig” Distributor: Neon Budget (if reported): NA Release Date: July 16 Opening Theater Count: 552 Opening Average: $1,758 Current Gross: $3,186,668
“Minari” Distributor: A24 Budget (if reported): NA Release Date: February 12 Opening Theater Count: 251 Opening Average: $770 Current Gross: $3,110,580
“Dream Horse” Distributor: Bleecker Street Budget (if reported): NA Release Date: May 21 Opening Theater Count: 1,254 Opening Average: $633 Current Gross: $2,913,328
“The House Next Door: Meet the Blacks 2” Distributor: HEFG Releasing Budget (if reported): NA Release Date: June 11 Opening Theater Count: 420 Opening Average: $2,408 Current Gross: $2,893,660 Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.
