Dinesh D‘Souza’s Anti-Obama Documentary Opens Strong at the Box Office Over the Weekend
- Posted on July 16, 2012 at 12:18pm by
Jason Howerton
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Despite only showing in one theater in Texas over the weekend and a “low key” protest from some moviegoers who were upset about the film’s subject matter, “2016: Obama’s America,” a documentary very critical of the president, outperformed projections and grossed an estimated $31,750, a solid turnout for an independent release at a single theater.
The film has been generating plenty of buzz. For example, according to the Hollywood Reporter, people crammed into Edwards Houston Marq’E Stadium 23 & Imax for Thursday’s free promotional screening, even sitting in the aisles to watch the film. And management still had to turn away about 200 people.
The documentary, based on Dinesh D‘Souza’s book “The Roots of Obama’s Rage,” features an interview with President Obama’s impoverished half-brother, George Obama, and sheds light on the president’s relationship with his avowed communist mentor Frank Marshall Davis.
More from the Hollywood Reporter:
Sources say some moviegoers sat in the aisles Thursday and waited as much as 90 minutes to meet D’Souza and Gerald Molen, one of the Oscar-winning producers of Schindler’s List, who was a co-producer of 2016 along with Doug Sain. For some of its regular showings over the weekend, the theater offered 2016 on multiple screens, including three sold-out auditoriums for the 7 p.m. Friday showing.
If the weekend estimate from the movie’s distributor, Rocky Mountain Pictures, holds when final numbers are reported Monday, the film will have bested the per-theater number posted by the Al Gore documentary about global warming, An Inconvenient Truth, which opened to $123,549 in four theaters in 2006 for a per-theater average of $30,887.
That film, which had the benefit of a mainstream distributor in Paramount Vantage and, eventually, two Oscar wins, went on to earn $24 million domestically. The box-office record for politically-charged documentaries is held by Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11, which grossed $119 million domestically in 2004. It opened on a Wednesday, in just two theaters, taking in $83,922 on its first day, for a one-day, per-theater average of $41,961. Still, for any documentary to pass the $25,000-per-theater mark on its opening weekend represents an unusually strong showing, according to box office observers.
In fact, the only movies that outgrossed “2016” over the weekend at the Houston theater were “The Amazing Spider-Man“ and ”Ice Age: Continental Drift,” according to Sain.
“We’re getting tremendous media coverage and box office results. More than, frankly, we ever hoped for,” Sain said. “We thought we’d be really lucky with $15,000 for the entire week, but we doubled that in just this weekend.”
The manager of the Houston theater said they received numerous phone calls from people who argued they shouldn’t show the documentary.
“His response was, ‘We don’t make movies, we just show them,’” Sain said.
The manager reportedly compared the reaction to “2016” to the release of Moore’s “Fahrenheit 9/11“ but added the dissent was not as intense as when ”Passion of the Christ” opened in 2004, Sain said. The manager told Sain that people had to be removed by security for disrupting during the controversial Mel Gibson movie.
“So they weren’t flying by the seat of their pants with ‘2016.’ They know how to respond to controversy,” Sain added.
Some people “were around the box office wearing pro Obama tees to express their view,” Regal spokesman Russ Nunley told the Hollywood Reporter. He called the protest “very low key and not confrontational.”
According to the Hollywood Reporter, “2016” is scheduled to open in 120 theaters on July 27, but Sain said Rocky Mountain Pictures may increase that number to 400 theaters due to the film’s popularity.
Watch the film’s trailer, below.
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Comments (72)
The-Monk
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 3:51pmHolder is probably working on getting a subpoena to stop the movie form being shown.
Report Post »Independent4233
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 9:23pm“Holder is probably working on getting a subpoena to stop the movie form being shown.”
Yes, and his comrads at the New Black Panther Party will probably be protesting and threatening to kill all crackers, honkies, pink people and their blond-haired, blue-eyed babies, if the film is shown.
But you won’t hear about it in the news.
Instead you’ll get a story reporting that George Zimmerman once stole a candy bar when he was 6 years old, plus interviews from the people who owned the store.
Report Post »65Plus
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 3:44pmWe need to have this and UNMe and all sorts of other theatrical matter provided on a PPV basis on GBTV. We also need GBTV on Dish as a premium channel. Tens of millions of people do not have access to DSL or high speed internet. Virtually everyone has access to the sky. Also, put the Canadian Sun on GBTV. Anyone at GBTV look at the Blaze? Anyone read it? Is anyone at home? Hello???
Report Post »PeachyinGA
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 4:59pmYou may get your ‘dish’ wish … Glenn as been advertising their product lately ….
Report Post »betterthantv
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 6:56pmHe’s been dropping not so subtle hints about his program on DISH. I believe it’s coming soon. I was asked to respond to a survey from GBTV about 3 months ago and it was laced with questions asking “Would I switch my cable provider” to view GBTV along with several other similar questions. I said to myself back then it was coming. Then all of a sudden he started pushing DISH. My guess is by the end of the year. Maybe sooner.
Report Post »65Plus
Posted on July 17, 2012 at 1:58pmIf you recall, Dish was an advertiser of his on radio back when he was on Fox, and before then I believe. So having Dish as an advertiser is nothing new. But certainly hope you are correct – tens of millions of people would benefit from this option. Now to get that PPV!!
Report Post »PeachyinGA
Posted on July 19, 2012 at 9:28amBT TV, I got the same survey and after reading your thoughts, I think you are right. He was clearly getting the pulse of his audience. If Glenn picks DISH for such a venture, they must be good people.
Report Post »lfoa
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 3:29pmWhy does the headline read Anti-Obama…..?
Report Post »Is this not a truth filled docu-movie?
lfoa
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 3:27pmObama’s worst nightmare… the Truth!
Report Post »JohnLarson
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 3:50pmYeah I’m sure this is keeping Obama up at night….
Maybe they’ll even get it shown in more than one theater!!
Report Post »JohnLarson
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 2:52pmOh wow, 30k at the box office. What a strong showing!
All the Obama hate out there, and only 30k??
Beck makes more than that in one day hawking gold coins.
Report Post »HisNameWasRobertPaulson
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 3:03pmLearn to read…the ENTIRE article.
Report Post »Verceofreason
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 3:37pmIf they want to really rake it in.
Report Post »They should let folks in for free
and make then pay to run out.
65Plus
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 3:45pm30K at one screen in an extremely strong showing. Only 24 hours in the day, you know.
Report Post »JohnLarson
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 3:46pmLol
Report Post »sbenard
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 4:28pmYou didn’t read the article , did you? Thought so! You just went off half-cocked without the slightest idea what you were talking about! Thanks for revealing your true nature to all the world!
Report Post »For an independent film, that’s a very strong showing!
Hollywood
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 7:49pmONE movie house showing it you DUMMY! You, of course must have a background in business, as Obama, in community organizing?
Report Post »MAX0O1
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 11:29pmYou and your kinds stupidity is OVER WELMING!!!!!!!!!!!
Report Post »Brad Wesselmann
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 2:30pmAbout roads and bridges getting built, were those roads and bridges built before the farms and factories or after? Were they first dirt roads and then paved over or just paved right off the bat even though nobody had any need to go where a road just “went”?
How many ghost cities ever existed in this country that went from NOT populated to populated because the government decided to make a road?
Report Post »Gorp
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 10:34pmCome on Brad.
They built the cities first. Then they found out that nobody could get there so they had to figure out a way and along came roads. Nicely paved I might add.
But people weren’t coming fast enough so they had to figure out a way to get the people to the empty cities faster than horse and buggy. That’s when they decided to release all of the automobiles they had sitting in a warehouse in Hoboken, NJ. The autos were already made so they just had to open the doors and shoo them all out. They automatically filled up with people and drove themselves to the cites because NOBODY ever done anything on their own. They had help from teachers and hard workers but not themselves…
The rest, as they say, is history.
Report Post »bigsdawg
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 2:22pmGuys, please stop responding to EMPLOYEES like VERCEOFREASON. This is a person on the losing side trying to stir the pot. We are above this! Let these clowns comment all they want, but do not encourage them. That is what they want.
Report Post »Magyar
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 2:48pmI’ve been advising the same thing—- Let them spew their hatred BUT DO NOT RESPOND!
Report Post »Verceofreason
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 3:39pmFile under : The Truth Hurts aka We prefer to talk to ourselves and get our hate reinforced.
Report Post »Green is a Lie
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 2:17pmHope it makes it to CA. Where is FOX when it counts? They should interrupt O’Riely with this more important broadcast all week.
Report Post »LimaBean
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 7:01pmYes! I agree.
Report Post »Elvie
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 2:06pmTalk about good timing–after Obama’s remarks this weekend about how if you built a company, that you didn’t do it on your own, you used roads, workers, etc… which is from the Social Democrats playbook. As if paying the worker, paying taxes doesn’t really count!
So does that apply to individuals, too? If you built a house, since you used roads, sub-contractors, etc, the house doesn’t really belong to you because other people helped build it? What does that really mean?! I hope this movie explains this clearly. We are in deep, deep trouble if Obama has another 4 years without worrying about re-election! Looking forward to seeing it!
Report Post »ledbythnose
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 1:32pmAny one who doesn’t know by now what these Communist are trying to do to this Nation are either brain dead or FOR the Coup De Tat that is being executed. This film only further proves the end game being played by these PROGRESSIVES. My guess is they will stage a Reich tag Fire event before the election and set off a Civil War unparalleled in Human History. They are playing for keeps and so are we. Any thing short of using WMDs on us will guarantee their defeat. We outnumber and out gun them a 100 to 1 and it will be Historical to say the least. Come and Take It!
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 1:28pmI’m really looking forward to seeing this. Unfortunately, the people that really need to see it, never will. They’ll go see Spiderman and Dinesh will be left preaching to the choir.
Report Post »oneshiner
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 1:43pmHope this 2016 film comes to my town. Can’t wait to see it, and I don’t go to movies because of the trash they put out, so this tells you something. Make a good movie
Report Post »people have interest in and ‘they will come’
65Plus
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 3:49pmOneshiner. Most likely it won’t. This is why GBTV MUST ADD a PPV option so that everyone can see it. Only – there is a far greater chance of contacting the Great Oz than contacting a live person at GBTV which apparently is completely self contained, and insular. Just got my “renewal” – a billing on my card, not even an e-mail notice. How nice. 110% robo.
Report Post »earthbonz
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 4:12pmGonzo: Point is, the “choir” is so massive that it cannot be ignored by any media. The choir must attend.
Report Post »spfoam1
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 1:18pmFamily values from Kenya.
Report Post »Verceofreason
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 1:06pmOMG $31,000.
Report Post »Maybe they can do a double feature with Palin’s UNDEFEATED
and earn $1.98!
Texasexpat
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 1:17pm@verceofreason: Are you always a jerk or do you only play one on The Blaze?
Report Post »Want our country back
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 1:53pmYou don’t care about the truth, only your agenda….. it’s not working, people think that comments like yours are classless and DUMB.
Report Post »HisNameWasRobertPaulson
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 3:05pmVerce is just amazed that anyone can earn that kind of money. His guy in the White House keeps him at minimum wage, so he will never see that level of cash. Let’s be really kind!
Report Post »Verceofreason
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 3:40pmAs Ronald Reagan said “Facts are such pesky things”
Report Post »HKS
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 12:58pmSeems like an amazing concept to me. Something resembling truth on the big screen. Those little screens are mostly lies now days so some truth in any form would be refreshing.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 1:07pmI agree .. I have signed up to notified of theaters .. I hope it comes NEAR me .. and I also want them to release the DVD BEFORE the election … I have some people that don’t live by me (so I can’t offer to take them out to a movie) that I want to send the DVD to.
OMG 2012 LIBERTY
Report Post »DoGooder
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 12:57pmI say broad-cast it on Fox for a week straight at 7:00 pm. For free! Everyone needs to see this. (Don’t you know they are sh.tting at the Obama campaign)
Report Post »spirited
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 1:56pmLet MSNBC & CNN run it 3 times a week, twice a day from now until November 5th
Report Post »~~~>at no charge.
whatthecrazy
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 12:55pmBoy the Obamas always give off that vacationy type of chill feel almost like they own the world.Never mind.
Report Post »thegreatcarnac
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 12:52pmObama is a two-bit socialist and it is about time someone showed his treachery on film.
Report Post »red_white_blue2
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 12:44pmi hope this will be in a theatre in Arlington the weekend of Restoring Love. Would be a great compliment to the events.
Report Post »uncleherbert
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 12:43pmI will put a “I WILL NOT COMPLY” sign in my yard on a very busy road, watch me!
Report Post »term limits for congress
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 12:40pmI hope Romney doesn’t find out about this. Well,… even if he did,… nevermind.
Report Post »drphil69
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 12:39pmTHERE’S A MARXIST IN THE WHITE HOUSE…
Well duh… we’ve know that since 2008…
Report Post »CatB
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 1:09pmWe have .. .TAKE A PROGRESSIVE out to a movie night! They might actually get it .. if it is right in their face.
Report Post »spirited
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 1:58pmGood thinking CAT
Report Post »Elena2010
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 12:34pmI wonder if those who protested also protested the film that “saw” Pres Bush shot.
Report Post »Landon410
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 12:29pmI would like ot watch it, but no way could I get my wife to go, she’d fall asleep
Report Post »Hope they show it in Omaha
uncleherbert
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 12:47pmSounds like your wife is brain dead? I’ll pray not, but surly you jest?
Report Post »LeadNotFollow
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 12:29pm…
Report Post »It’s about time someone criticized this very poor excuse for a President.
uncleherbert
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 12:54pmThe truth has no agenda, criticzed no! His own words are just the facts! I did not tell the story for my bad policies really?
Report Post »Redwood Elf
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 1:01pmSomeone? Ever heard of some folks named Rush Limbaugh, Glenn beck, Sean Hannity, Mark Levin, Melanie Morgan, and dozens of others?
There are PLENTY of people criticizing Obummer…it’s just that Hollywood and the Lamestream Media are 90% Socialist puppets.
Report Post »Verceofreason
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 3:43pmThe USA, “No new wars or acts of terrorism since 2008!”
Report Post »& as a bonus! Gaddafi and Bin Laden Kaput!
troutslayerMT
Posted on August 14, 2012 at 12:59amVOR… And gay people are cool… As long as they vote for obama, and illegals, and whoever the flavor of the month is Obama can ponder to
Report Post »MODEL82A1
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 12:26pmI can hear the Lispy Howls of Impotent Rage from the Left from here. And I love it!
Report Post »thegreatcarnac
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 12:50pm“lispy howls”……..heh heh…good one!
Report Post »