Half of a Yellow Sun (2014)
| Theatrical Performance | ||
| Domestic Box Office | $54,529 | Details |
| International Box Office | $37,870 | Details |
| Worldwide Box Office | $92,399 | |
| Domestic Physical Disc Sales | ||
| DVD Sales (estimated) | $162,109 | |
| Total | $162,109 | |
| OpusData ID: 206010100 More info... | ||
| Further financial details... | ||
Synopsis
Olanna and Kainene are glamorous twins from a wealthy Nigerian family. Upon returning to a privileged city life in newly independent 1960s Nigeria after their expensive English education, the two women make very different choices. Olanna shocks her family by going to live with her lover, the “revolutionary professor” Odenigbo and his devoted houseboy Ugwu in the dusty university town of Nsukka; Kainene turns out to be a fiercely successful businesswoman when she takes over the family interests, and surprises even herself when she falls in love with Richard, an English writer. Preoccupied by their romantic entanglements, and a betrayal between the sisters, the events of their life seem to loom larger than politics. However, they become caught up in the events of the Nigerian civil war, in which the lgbo people fought an impassioned struggle to establish Biafra as an independent republic, ending in chilling violence which shocked the entire world.
Metrics
| Opening Weekend: | $4,843 (8.9% of total gross) |
| Legs: | 5.64 (domestic box office/biggest weekend) |
| Domestic Share: | 59.0% (domestic box office/worldwide) |
| Theater counts: | 1 opening theaters/7 max. theaters, 4.6 weeks average run per theater |
| Infl. Adj. Dom. BO | $79,785 |
Movie Details
| Domestic Releases: | May 16th, 2014 (Limited) by Monterey Media |
| International Releases: | April 26th, 2014 (Limited), released as Half Of A Yellow Sun (New Zealand) |
| Video Release: | July 29th, 2014 by Monterey Video |
| MPA Rating: | R for some violence and sexual content. (Rating bulletin 2317, 4/9/2014) |
| Running Time: | 113 minutes |
| Plot point: | Interracial Romance, Political, Romance, Twins |
| Social setting: | Civil War |
| Subgenre: | Romantic Drama |
| Source: | Based on Fiction Book/Short Story |
| Genre: | Drama |
| Production Method: | Live Action |
| Creative Type: | Historical Fiction |
| Production/Financing Companies: | Slate Films, Ealing Metro International, Lipsync Productions, Kachifo |
| Production Countries: | Nigeria |
| Languages: | English |
Weekend Box Office Performance
| Date | Rank | Gross | % Change | Theaters | Per Theater | Total Gross | Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 16, 2014 | 65 | $4,843 | 1 | $4,843 | $4,843 | 1 | |
| May 23, 2014 | 58 | $9,668 | +100% | 6 | $1,611 | $17,102 | 2 |
| May 30, 2014 | 70 | $3,198 | -67% | 6 | $533 | $23,168 | 3 |
| Jun 6, 2014 | 102 | $200 | -94% | 2 | $100 | $25,666 | 4 |
| Jun 13, 2014 | 93 | $1,672 | +736% | 4 | $418 | $27,855 | 5 |
| Jun 20, 2014 | 80 | $4,513 | +170% | 3 | $1,504 | $32,452 | 6 |
| Jun 27, 2014 | 107 | $562 | -88% | 4 | $141 | $37,126 | 7 |
| Jul 4, 2014 | 102 | $208 | -63% | 1 | $208 | $38,617 | 8 |
| Jul 11, 2014 | 70 | $5,161 | +2,381% | 4 | $1,290 | $44,765 | 9 |
| Aug 8, 2014 | 99 | $576 | 1 | $576 | $53,645 | 13 |
Weekly Box Office Performance
| Date | Rank | Gross | % Change | Theaters | Per Theater | Total Gross | Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 16, 2014 | 60 | $7,434 | 1 | $7,434 | $7,434 | 1 | |
| May 23, 2014 | 60 | $12,353 | +66% | 6 | $2,059 | $19,970 | 2 |
| May 30, 2014 | 68 | $5,679 | -54% | 6 | $947 | $25,466 | 3 |
| Jun 6, 2014 | 102 | $717 | -87% | 4 | $179 | $26,183 | 4 |
| Jun 13, 2014 | 97 | $1,756 | +145% | 4 | $439 | $27,939 | 5 |
| Jun 20, 2014 | 74 | $8,625 | +391% | 4 | $2,156 | $36,564 | 6 |
| Jun 27, 2014 | 99 | $1,845 | -79% | 7 | $264 | $38,409 | 7 |
| Jul 4, 2014 | 94 | $1,195 | -35% | 3 | $398 | $39,604 | 8 |
| Jul 11, 2014 | 68 | $7,583 | +535% | 5 | $1,517 | $47,487 | 9 |
| Jul 18, 2014 | 102 | $333 | -96% | 1 | $333 | $47,884 | 10 |
| Aug 1, 2014 | 81 | $5,185 | 2 | $2,593 | $53,069 | 12 | |
| Jan 9, 2015 | 101 | $126 | 1 | $126 | $54,529 | 35 |
Top International Territories
Box Office Summary Per Territory
| Territory | Release Date |
Opening Weekend |
Opening Weekend Screens/Theaters |
Maximum Screens/Theaters |
Theatrical Engagements |
Total Box Office |
Report Date |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | 4/26/2014 | $0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | $37,870 | 1/8/2016 | |||
| International Total | $37,870 | 1/8/2016 | ||||||||
Note: Territories vary in whether they report screens or theaters. Full details on international box office data are available via our OpusData service.
Leading
| Thandie Newton* | Olanna | |
| Chiwetel Ejiofor | Odenigbo |
Supporting
| Anika Noni Rose | Kainene | |
| Joseph Mawle | Richard | |
| John Boyega | Ugwu | |
| Onyeka Onwenu | Odenigbo's Mother | |
| Genevieve Nnaji | Miss Adebayo | |
| Hakeem Kae-Kazim | Captain Dutse | |
| Babou Ceesay | Okeoma | |
| Susan Wokoma | Amala |
Production and Technical Credits
| Biyi Bandele | Director | |
| Andrea Calderwood | Producer | |
| Biyi Bandele | Screenwriter | |
| Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie | Story Creator | |
| Yewande Sadiku | Executive Producer | |
| Muhtar Bakare | Executive Producer | |
| Gail Egan | Executive Producer | |
| Norman Merry | Executive Producer | |
| Peter Hampden | Executive Producer | |
| Sandra Mbanefo Obiago | Associate Producer | |
| Alan J. Wands | Executive in Charge of Production | |
| John de Borman | Director of Photography | |
| Andrew McAlpine | Production Designer | |
| Chris Gill | Editor | |
| Ben Onono | Composer | |
| Paul Thomson | Composer | |
| Jo Katsaras | Costume Designer | |
| Sharon Martin | Make-up and Hair Designer | |
| Jina Jay | Casting Director |
Cast and crew with above-the-line roles are marked in bold. The line marks the division between above-the-line and below-the-line roles.
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
Olanna and Kainene are glamorous twins from a wealthy Nigerian family. Upon returning to a privileged city life in newly independent 1960s Nigeria after their expensive English education, the two women make very different choices. Olanna shocks her family by going to live with her lover, the “revolutionary professor” Odenigbo and his devoted houseboy Ugwu in the dusty university town of Nsukka; Kainene turns out to be a fiercely successful businesswoman when she takes over the family interests, and surprises even herself when she falls in love with Richard, an English writer. Preoccupied by their romantic entanglements, and a betrayal between the sisters, the events of their life seem to loom larger than politics. However, they become caught up in the events of the Nigerian civil war, in which the lgbo people fought an impassioned struggle to establish Biafra as an independent republic, ending in chilling violence which shocked the entire world.
Metrics
| Opening Weekend: | $4,843 (8.9% of total gross) |
| Legs: | 5.64 (domestic box office/biggest weekend) |
| Domestic Share: | 59.0% (domestic box office/worldwide) |
| Theater counts: | 1 opening theaters/7 max. theaters, 4.6 weeks average run per theater |
| Infl. Adj. Dom. BO | $79,785 |
Movie Details
| Domestic Releases: | May 16th, 2014 (Limited) by Monterey Media |
| International Releases: | April 26th, 2014 (Limited), released as Half Of A Yellow Sun (New Zealand) |
| Video Release: | July 29th, 2014 by Monterey Video |
| MPA Rating: | R for some violence and sexual content. (Rating bulletin 2317, 4/9/2014) |
| Running Time: | 113 minutes |
| Plot point: | Interracial Romance, Political, Romance, Twins |
| Social setting: | Civil War |
| Subgenre: | Romantic Drama |
| Source: | Based on Fiction Book/Short Story |
| Genre: | Drama |
| Production Method: | Live Action |
| Creative Type: | Historical Fiction |
| Production/Financing Companies: | Slate Films, Ealing Metro International, Lipsync Productions, Kachifo |
| Production Countries: | Nigeria |
| Languages: | English |
Weekend Box Office Performance
| Date | Rank | Gross | % Change | Theaters | Per Theater | Total Gross | Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 16, 2014 | 65 | $4,843 | 1 | $4,843 | $4,843 | 1 | |
| May 23, 2014 | 58 | $9,668 | +100% | 6 | $1,611 | $17,102 | 2 |
| May 30, 2014 | 70 | $3,198 | -67% | 6 | $533 | $23,168 | 3 |
| Jun 6, 2014 | 102 | $200 | -94% | 2 | $100 | $25,666 | 4 |
| Jun 13, 2014 | 93 | $1,672 | +736% | 4 | $418 | $27,855 | 5 |
| Jun 20, 2014 | 80 | $4,513 | +170% | 3 | $1,504 | $32,452 | 6 |
| Jun 27, 2014 | 107 | $562 | -88% | 4 | $141 | $37,126 | 7 |
| Jul 4, 2014 | 102 | $208 | -63% | 1 | $208 | $38,617 | 8 |
| Jul 11, 2014 | 70 | $5,161 | +2,381% | 4 | $1,290 | $44,765 | 9 |
| Aug 8, 2014 | 99 | $576 | 1 | $576 | $53,645 | 13 |
Weekly Box Office Performance
| Date | Rank | Gross | % Change | Theaters | Per Theater | Total Gross | Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 16, 2014 | 60 | $7,434 | 1 | $7,434 | $7,434 | 1 | |
| May 23, 2014 | 60 | $12,353 | +66% | 6 | $2,059 | $19,970 | 2 |
| May 30, 2014 | 68 | $5,679 | -54% | 6 | $947 | $25,466 | 3 |
| Jun 6, 2014 | 102 | $717 | -87% | 4 | $179 | $26,183 | 4 |
| Jun 13, 2014 | 97 | $1,756 | +145% | 4 | $439 | $27,939 | 5 |
| Jun 20, 2014 | 74 | $8,625 | +391% | 4 | $2,156 | $36,564 | 6 |
| Jun 27, 2014 | 99 | $1,845 | -79% | 7 | $264 | $38,409 | 7 |
| Jul 4, 2014 | 94 | $1,195 | -35% | 3 | $398 | $39,604 | 8 |
| Jul 11, 2014 | 68 | $7,583 | +535% | 5 | $1,517 | $47,487 | 9 |
| Jul 18, 2014 | 102 | $333 | -96% | 1 | $333 | $47,884 | 10 |
| Aug 1, 2014 | 81 | $5,185 | 2 | $2,593 | $53,069 | 12 | |
| Jan 9, 2015 | 101 | $126 | 1 | $126 | $54,529 | 35 |
Top International Territories
Box Office Summary Per Territory
| Territory | Release Date |
Opening Weekend |
Opening Weekend Screens/Theaters |
Maximum Screens/Theaters |
Theatrical Engagements |
Total Box Office |
Report Date |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | 4/26/2014 | $0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | $37,870 | 1/8/2016 | |||
| International Total | $37,870 | 1/8/2016 | ||||||||
Note: Territories vary in whether they report screens or theaters. Full details on international box office data are available via our OpusData service.
Leading
| Thandie Newton* | Olanna | |
| Chiwetel Ejiofor | Odenigbo |
Supporting
| Anika Noni Rose | Kainene | |
| Joseph Mawle | Richard | |
| John Boyega | Ugwu | |
| Onyeka Onwenu | Odenigbo's Mother | |
| Genevieve Nnaji | Miss Adebayo | |
| Hakeem Kae-Kazim | Captain Dutse | |
| Babou Ceesay | Okeoma | |
| Susan Wokoma | Amala |
Production and Technical Credits
| Biyi Bandele | Director | |
| Andrea Calderwood | Producer | |
| Biyi Bandele | Screenwriter | |
| Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie | Story Creator | |
| Yewande Sadiku | Executive Producer | |
| Muhtar Bakare | Executive Producer | |
| Gail Egan | Executive Producer | |
| Norman Merry | Executive Producer | |
| Peter Hampden | Executive Producer | |
| Sandra Mbanefo Obiago | Associate Producer | |
| Alan J. Wands | Executive in Charge of Production | |
| John de Borman | Director of Photography | |
| Andrew McAlpine | Production Designer | |
| Chris Gill | Editor | |
| Ben Onono | Composer | |
| Paul Thomson | Composer | |
| Jo Katsaras | Costume Designer | |
| Sharon Martin | Make-up and Hair Designer | |
| Jina Jay | Casting Director |
Cast and crew with above-the-line roles are marked in bold. The line marks the division between above-the-line and below-the-line roles.
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.