Fox's 'Sunshine' buoys
Pricey acquisition is paying off at the B.O.
"Sunshine," though, is bucking history. After six weeks, pic has cumed $36.7 million, a figure that puts it in the very top tier of breakout indie films.
After six weeks, "Brokeback Mountain" had grossed $34.3 million. That was at far fewer theaters, however, and doesn't indicate "Sunshine" will match that phenom's $83 million final cume.
The success of "Sunshine" also reps a comeback of sorts for Fox Searchlight, which after leaving other specialty labels in the dust in 2004 with hits such as "Napoleon Dynamite," "Sideways" and "Garden State," was under the radar in 2005 and much of this year.
Even before Searchlight emerged the winner in the heated bidding for "Little Miss Sunshine," observers -- and even rival bidders -- figured the film made sense as a Searchlight release. It was simply a good fit with the banner's sensibility and earlier quirky fare.
Thanks to cable output deals and foreign sales, the label had much of the film's acquisition price covered early. Fox's deal with HBO means there's already a chunk of change in the bank. The cabler's fee, which is commensurate with a pic's box office perf, is likely to jump from a few million to nearly $10 million if "Sunshine" keeps glowing. And, like other quirky indie hits, "Sunshine" should also earn back spiffy dividends on DVD.
Thus "Sunshine's" earnings are pretty much gravy at this point.
While the film has played reasonably well in small cities and suburbs, major markets remain its stronghold, with week-to-week declines averaging less than 10%.
Prospects overseas for "Sunshine," which takes a skewed look at Americans' obsession with success, are less certain. Studio insiders say a foreign cume over $20 million will likely be counted a success.
Still, the pic has a good shot at being Searchlight's biggest indie comedy hit to date. It has made more in six weeks than "Napoleon Dynamite" did in 16, and has already passed "Garden State's" $26.8 million.
