Dear White People (2014)
| Theatrical Performance | ||
| Domestic Box Office | $4,404,154 | Details |
| International Box Office | $999,617 | |
| Worldwide Box Office | $5,403,771 | |
| Domestic Physical Disc Sales | ||
| DVD Sales (estimated) | $752,742 | |
| Blu-ray Sales (estimated) | $71,730 | |
| Total | $824,472 | |
| Further financial details... | ||
Synopsis
The unexpected election of activist Samantha White as head of a traditionally black residence hall sets up a college campus culture war that challenges conventional notions of what it means to be black. While Sam leverages her notoriety as host of the provocative and polarizing radio show “Dear White People” to try to prevent the college from diversifying Armstrong Parker House, outgoing head-of-house Troy Fairbanks, son of the university’s dean, defies his father’s lofty expectations by applying to join the staff of Pastiche, the college’s influential humor magazine. Lionel Higgins, an Afro-sporting sci-fi geek, is recruited by the otherwise all-white student newspaper to go undercover and write about black culture—a subject he knows little about—while the aggressively assimilated Coco Conners tries to use the controversy on campus to carve out a career in reality TV. But no one at Winchester University is prepared for Pastiche’s outrageous, ill-conceived annual Halloween party, with its “unleash your inner Negro” theme throwing oil on an already smoldering fire of resentment and misunderstanding. When the party descends into riotous mayhem, everyone must choose a side.
Metrics
| Opening Weekend: | $347,959 (7.9% of total gross) |
| Legs: | 3.51 (domestic box office/biggest weekend) |
| Domestic Share: | 81.5% (domestic box office/worldwide) |
| Production Budget: | $1,250,000 (worldwide box office is 4.3 times production budget) |
| Theater counts: | 11 opening theaters/392 max. theaters, 3.3 weeks average run per theater |
| Infl. Adj. Dom. BO | $6,445,747 |
Movie Details
| Domestic Releases: | October 17th, 2014 (Limited) by Lionsgate/Roadside Attractions |
| International Releases: | March 27th, 2015 (Wide) (France)
July 10th, 2015 (Wide) (United Kingdom) |
| Video Release: | February 3rd, 2015 by Lionsgate Home Entertainment |
| MPA Rating: | R for language, sexual content and drug use. (Rating bulletin 2340, 9/17/2014) |
| Running Time: | 108 minutes |
| Film festival: | Sundance Film Festival 2014 |
| Plot point: | African Americans, Bigotry, Political, Satire |
| Social setting: | College, Halloween, Radio Industry |
| Subgenre: | Satirical Comedy |
| Source: | Original Screenplay |
| Genre: | Comedy |
| Production Method: | Live Action |
| Creative Type: | Contemporary Fiction |
| Production/Financing Companies: | Duly Noted, Inc. |
| Production Countries: | United States |
| Languages: | English |
Weekend Box Office Performance
| Date | Rank | Gross | % Change | Theaters | Per Theater | Total Gross | Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 17, 2014 | 21 | $347,959 | 11 | $31,633 | $347,959 | 1 | |
| Oct 24, 2014 | 16 | $1,254,245 | +260% | 382 | $3,283 | $1,697,716 | 2 |
| Oct 31, 2014 | 18 | $743,175 | -41% | 392 | $1,896 | $2,841,724 | 3 |
| Nov 7, 2014 | 19 | $392,421 | -47% | 177 | $2,217 | $3,525,622 | 4 |
| Nov 14, 2014 | 25 | $195,550 | -50% | 105 | $1,862 | $3,896,989 | 5 |
| Nov 21, 2014 | 32 | $102,110 | -48% | 68 | $1,502 | $4,068,419 | 6 |
| Nov 28, 2014 | 32 | $77,157 | -24% | 46 | $1,677 | $4,196,321 | 7 |
| Dec 5, 2014 | 39 | $53,639 | -30% | 43 | $1,247 | $4,277,544 | 8 |
| Dec 12, 2014 | 43 | $23,257 | -57% | 29 | $802 | $4,327,802 | 9 |
| Dec 19, 2014 | 49 | $12,802 | -45% | 15 | $853 | $4,355,714 | 10 |
| Dec 26, 2014 | 60 | $5,351 | -58% | 7 | $764 | $4,369,605 | 11 |
| Jan 2, 2015 | 67 | $4,795 | -10% | 8 | $599 | $4,376,622 | 12 |
| Jan 9, 2015 | 66 | $5,840 | +22% | 8 | $730 | $4,384,615 | 13 |
| Jan 16, 2015 | 66 | $8,467 | +45% | 8 | $1,058 | $4,398,736 | 14 |
| Jan 23, 2015 | 83 | $2,026 | -76% | 7 | $289 | $4,404,154 | 15 |
Daily Box Office Performance
| Date | Rank | Gross | %YD | %LW | Theaters | Per Theater | Total Gross | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 14, 2014 | - | $58,321 | 105 | $555 | $3,759,760 | 29 | ||
| Nov 15, 2014 | - | $87,019 | +49% | 105 | $829 | $3,846,779 | 30 | |
| Nov 16, 2014 | - | $50,210 | -42% | 105 | $478 | $3,896,989 | 31 |
Weekly Box Office Performance
| Date | Rank | Gross | % Change | Theaters | Per Theater | Total Gross | Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 17, 2014 | 22 | $443,471 | 11 | $40,316 | $443,471 | 1 | |
| Oct 24, 2014 | 16 | $1,655,078 | +273% | 382 | $4,333 | $2,098,549 | 2 |
| Oct 31, 2014 | 19 | $1,034,652 | -37% | 392 | $2,639 | $3,133,201 | 3 |
| Nov 7, 2014 | 19 | $566,046 | -45% | 178 | $3,180 | $3,701,439 | 4 |
| Nov 14, 2014 | 26 | $264,870 | -53% | 105 | $2,523 | $3,966,309 | 5 |
| Nov 21, 2014 | 34 | $152,855 | -42% | 70 | $2,184 | $4,119,164 | 6 |
| Nov 28, 2014 | 34 | $104,741 | -31% | 46 | $2,277 | $4,223,905 | 7 |
| Dec 5, 2014 | 37 | $80,640 | -23% | 43 | $1,875 | $4,304,545 | 8 |
| Dec 12, 2014 | 46 | $38,367 | -52% | 29 | $1,323 | $4,342,912 | 9 |
| Dec 19, 2014 | 55 | $21,342 | -44% | 16 | $1,334 | $4,364,254 | 10 |
| Dec 26, 2014 | 64 | $7,573 | -65% | 7 | $1,082 | $4,371,827 | 11 |
| Jan 2, 2015 | 72 | $6,948 | -8% | 8 | $869 | $4,378,775 | 12 |
| Jan 9, 2015 | 64 | $11,494 | +65% | 8 | $1,437 | $4,390,269 | 13 |
| Jan 16, 2015 | 68 | $11,859 | +3% | 8 | $1,482 | $4,402,128 | 14 |
Full financial estimates for this film, including domestic and international box office, video sales, video rentals, TV and ancillary revenue are available through our research services. For more information, please contact us at research@the-numbers.com.
Synopsis
The unexpected election of activist Samantha White as head of a traditionally black residence hall sets up a college campus culture war that challenges conventional notions of what it means to be black. While Sam leverages her notoriety as host of the provocative and polarizing radio show “Dear White People” to try to prevent the college from diversifying Armstrong Parker House, outgoing head-of-house Troy Fairbanks, son of the university’s dean, defies his father’s lofty expectations by applying to join the staff of Pastiche, the college’s influential humor magazine. Lionel Higgins, an Afro-sporting sci-fi geek, is recruited by the otherwise all-white student newspaper to go undercover and write about black culture—a subject he knows little about—while the aggressively assimilated Coco Conners tries to use the controversy on campus to carve out a career in reality TV. But no one at Winchester University is prepared for Pastiche’s outrageous, ill-conceived annual Halloween party, with its “unleash your inner Negro” theme throwing oil on an already smoldering fire of resentment and misunderstanding. When the party descends into riotous mayhem, everyone must choose a side.
Metrics
| Opening Weekend: | $347,959 (7.9% of total gross) |
| Legs: | 3.51 (domestic box office/biggest weekend) |
| Domestic Share: | 81.5% (domestic box office/worldwide) |
| Production Budget: | $1,250,000 (worldwide box office is 4.3 times production budget) |
| Theater counts: | 11 opening theaters/392 max. theaters, 3.3 weeks average run per theater |
| Infl. Adj. Dom. BO | $6,445,747 |
Movie Details
| Domestic Releases: | October 17th, 2014 (Limited) by Lionsgate/Roadside Attractions |
| International Releases: | March 27th, 2015 (Wide) (France)
July 10th, 2015 (Wide) (United Kingdom) |
| Video Release: | February 3rd, 2015 by Lionsgate Home Entertainment |
| MPA Rating: | R for language, sexual content and drug use. (Rating bulletin 2340, 9/17/2014) |
| Running Time: | 108 minutes |
| Film festival: | Sundance Film Festival 2014 |
| Plot point: | African Americans, Bigotry, Political, Satire |
| Social setting: | College, Halloween, Radio Industry |
| Subgenre: | Satirical Comedy |
| Source: | Original Screenplay |
| Genre: | Comedy |
| Production Method: | Live Action |
| Creative Type: | Contemporary Fiction |
| Production/Financing Companies: | Duly Noted, Inc. |
| Production Countries: | United States |
| Languages: | English |
Weekend Box Office Performance
| Date | Rank | Gross | % Change | Theaters | Per Theater | Total Gross | Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 17, 2014 | 21 | $347,959 | 11 | $31,633 | $347,959 | 1 | |
| Oct 24, 2014 | 16 | $1,254,245 | +260% | 382 | $3,283 | $1,697,716 | 2 |
| Oct 31, 2014 | 18 | $743,175 | -41% | 392 | $1,896 | $2,841,724 | 3 |
| Nov 7, 2014 | 19 | $392,421 | -47% | 177 | $2,217 | $3,525,622 | 4 |
| Nov 14, 2014 | 25 | $195,550 | -50% | 105 | $1,862 | $3,896,989 | 5 |
| Nov 21, 2014 | 32 | $102,110 | -48% | 68 | $1,502 | $4,068,419 | 6 |
| Nov 28, 2014 | 32 | $77,157 | -24% | 46 | $1,677 | $4,196,321 | 7 |
| Dec 5, 2014 | 39 | $53,639 | -30% | 43 | $1,247 | $4,277,544 | 8 |
| Dec 12, 2014 | 43 | $23,257 | -57% | 29 | $802 | $4,327,802 | 9 |
| Dec 19, 2014 | 49 | $12,802 | -45% | 15 | $853 | $4,355,714 | 10 |
| Dec 26, 2014 | 60 | $5,351 | -58% | 7 | $764 | $4,369,605 | 11 |
| Jan 2, 2015 | 67 | $4,795 | -10% | 8 | $599 | $4,376,622 | 12 |
| Jan 9, 2015 | 66 | $5,840 | +22% | 8 | $730 | $4,384,615 | 13 |
| Jan 16, 2015 | 66 | $8,467 | +45% | 8 | $1,058 | $4,398,736 | 14 |
| Jan 23, 2015 | 83 | $2,026 | -76% | 7 | $289 | $4,404,154 | 15 |
Daily Box Office Performance
| Date | Rank | Gross | %YD | %LW | Theaters | Per Theater | Total Gross | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 14, 2014 | - | $58,321 | 105 | $555 | $3,759,760 | 29 | ||
| Nov 15, 2014 | - | $87,019 | +49% | 105 | $829 | $3,846,779 | 30 | |
| Nov 16, 2014 | - | $50,210 | -42% | 105 | $478 | $3,896,989 | 31 |
Weekly Box Office Performance
| Date | Rank | Gross | % Change | Theaters | Per Theater | Total Gross | Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 17, 2014 | 22 | $443,471 | 11 | $40,316 | $443,471 | 1 | |
| Oct 24, 2014 | 16 | $1,655,078 | +273% | 382 | $4,333 | $2,098,549 | 2 |
| Oct 31, 2014 | 19 | $1,034,652 | -37% | 392 | $2,639 | $3,133,201 | 3 |
| Nov 7, 2014 | 19 | $566,046 | -45% | 178 | $3,180 | $3,701,439 | 4 |
| Nov 14, 2014 | 26 | $264,870 | -53% | 105 | $2,523 | $3,966,309 | 5 |
| Nov 21, 2014 | 34 | $152,855 | -42% | 70 | $2,184 | $4,119,164 | 6 |
| Nov 28, 2014 | 34 | $104,741 | -31% | 46 | $2,277 | $4,223,905 | 7 |
| Dec 5, 2014 | 37 | $80,640 | -23% | 43 | $1,875 | $4,304,545 | 8 |
| Dec 12, 2014 | 46 | $38,367 | -52% | 29 | $1,323 | $4,342,912 | 9 |
| Dec 19, 2014 | 55 | $21,342 | -44% | 16 | $1,334 | $4,364,254 | 10 |
| Dec 26, 2014 | 64 | $7,573 | -65% | 7 | $1,082 | $4,371,827 | 11 |
| Jan 2, 2015 | 72 | $6,948 | -8% | 8 | $869 | $4,378,775 | 12 |
| Jan 9, 2015 | 64 | $11,494 | +65% | 8 | $1,437 | $4,390,269 | 13 |
| Jan 16, 2015 | 68 | $11,859 | +3% | 8 | $1,482 | $4,402,128 | 14 |
Full financial estimates for this film, including domestic and international box office, video sales, video rentals, TV and ancillary revenue are available through our research services. For more information, please contact us at research@the-numbers.com.