Strategic Move: The Reason Behind Preponing Pushpa 2

The makers of the much awaited sequel, ‘Pushpa2: The rule’, announced today that the film is getting preponed by a day and is now releasing in theatres on 05th December 2024 instead of 06th December 2024. We at Gulte.com on 17th June 2024 said the makers considering either 05th or 20th December 2024 as the possible release dates in consideration and also mentioned why 05th December, a Thursday release in India with overseas premiers on Wednesday is a good date.

During the pre-pandemic era, most of the Telugu films used to have four days first weekend(i.e. Thursday premiers, Friday, Saturday & Sunday) but post pandemic, PAN India films like Kalki, Jailer & Leo got benefited with a five days first weekend(i.e. Wednesday premieres , Thursday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday) by screening the premiers on Wednesday. Also, a film with Thursday premiers usually struggles to get enough premium format screens(i.e. IMAX, PLF, etc.) in North America, the UK and most of the overseas countries because Hollywood studios and distribution houses usually restrict the theatre chains to not cut down shows for their films on Thursday’s which are already running in theatres and also ensures their new movies with Thursday premieres have good coverage.

Much awaited Walt Disney’s Animated Musical Adventure film, Moana 2 is releasing in North America on Wednesday, 27th November 2024 and Kraven: The Hunter, a keenly awaited superhero film from Columbia Pictures, Marvel Entertainment & Sony Pictures is releasing in North America on Friday, 13th December. These are the two films with which ‘Pushpa2: The rule’, have to share the screens with in North America and in almost all overseas countries.

Historically, Hollywood films report the least numbers on Wednesday after the Thanks Giving Day. The first Wednesday after Thanks Giving Day in the USA this year is Wednesday, 04th December. So, the decision to have overseas release of ‘Pushpa2: The Rule’ on 04th December by the makers is a very good one. There will be no pressure from studios on exhibitors to not cut down shows for any of their movies on 04th December as it is anyways the weakest date to pull in Hollywood movie audiences to the theatres & there will be very minimal to less pre-sales for all their films.

So, Pushpa2 can get as many theatres as possible with huge number of premium format screens(i.e. IMAX, PLF, etc.) on premiers day(i.e. 04th December) which in-turn can help the film to post huge numbers from premiers and also can have a five day first weekend advantage. Anticipation among audience for the film is already touching the roof and now the release date advantage is likely to help the film to register never seen before opening day, opening weekend and opening week numbers for an Indian film in North America and in all overseas countries. The film is releasing in North America in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam in a huge number of theatres on Wednesday, 04th December.