Primary Colors (1998)
| Theatrical Performance | ||
| Domestic Box Office | $39,017,984 | Details |
| OpusData ID: 14400100 More info... | ||
| Further financial details... | ||
Metrics
| Opening Weekend: | $12,045,395 (30.9% of total gross) |
| Legs: | 3.24 (domestic box office/biggest weekend) |
| Domestic Share: | 100.0% (domestic box office/worldwide) |
| Production Budget: | $65,000,000 (worldwide box office is 0.6 times production budget) |
| Theater counts: | 1,965 opening theaters/1,976 max. theaters, 6.3 weeks average run per theater |
| Infl. Adj. Dom. BO | $94,092,403 |
Movie Details
| Domestic Releases: | March 20th, 1998 (Wide) by Universal |
| Video Release: | September 8th, 1998 by Universal Home Entertainment |
| MPA Rating: | R for strong language and sexual references |
| Running Time: | 143 minutes |
| Plot point: | Political |
| Subgenre: | Comedy Drama |
| Source: | Based on Fiction Book/Short Story |
| Genre: | Comedy |
| Production Method: | Live Action |
| Creative Type: | Dramatization |
Weekend Box Office Performance
| Date | Rank | Gross | % Change | Theaters | Per Theater | Total Gross | Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 20, 1998 | 2 | $12,045,395 | 1,965 | $6,130 | $12,045,395 | 1 | |
| Mar 27, 1998 | 3 | $7,005,780 | -42% | 1,968 | $3,560 | $22,244,315 | 2 |
| Apr 3, 1998 | 5 | $4,702,920 | -33% | 1,976 | $2,380 | $28,944,755 | 3 |
| Apr 10, 1998 | 10 | $2,410,545 | -49% | 1,779 | $1,355 | $32,735,465 | 4 |
| Apr 17, 1998 | 12 | $1,534,305 | -36% | 1,317 | $1,165 | $35,158,705 | 5 |
| Apr 24, 1998 | 18 | $833,400 | -46% | 926 | $900 | $36,379,432 | 6 |
| May 1, 1998 | 21 | $550,515 | -34% | 734 | $750 | $37,147,192 | 7 |
| May 8, 1998 | 22 | $313,045 | -43% | 457 | $685 | $37,613,382 | 8 |
| May 15, 1998 | 25 | $237,695 | -24% | 347 | $685 | $37,939,277 | 9 |
| May 22, 1998 | 27 | $242,970 | +2% | 267 | $910 | $38,275,612 | 10 |
| May 29, 1998 | 31 | $153,735 | -37% | 277 | $555 | $38,494,807 | 11 |
| Jun 5, 1998 | 29 | $140,220 | -9% | 246 | $570 | $38,714,217 | 12 |
| Jun 12, 1998 | 38 | $85,920 | -39% | 179 | $480 | $38,856,507 | 13 |
| Jun 19, 1998 | 39 | $61,875 | -28% | 104 | $595 | $38,966,057 | 14 |
Daily Box Office Performance
| Date | Rank | Gross | %YD | %LW | Theaters | Per Theater | Total Gross | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 20, 1998 | 2 | $3,630,000 | 1,966 | $1,846 | $3,630,000 | 1 | ||
| Mar 21, 1998 | 2 | $5,470,000 | +51% | 1,966 | $2,782 | $9,100,000 | 2 | |
| Mar 22, 1998 | 2 | $3,026,000 | -45% | 1,966 | $1,539 | $12,045,395 | 3 | |
| Mar 23, 1998 | 3 | $618,975 | -80% | 1,965 | $315 | $12,664,370 | 4 | |
| Mar 24, 1998 | 3 | $880,000 | +42% | 1,966 | $448 | $13,544,370 | 5 | |
| Mar 25, 1998 | 2 | $864,615 | -2% | 1,965 | $440 | $14,403,410 | 6 | |
| Mar 26, 1998 | 2 | $835,125 | -3% | 1,965 | $425 | $15,238,535 | 7 | |
| Mar 27, 1998 | 3 | $2,160,000 | +159% | -40% | 1,969 | $1,097 | $17,399,000 | 8 |
| Mar 28, 1998 | 3 | $3,350,000 | +55% | -39% | 1,969 | $1,701 | $20,749,000 | 9 |
| Mar 29, 1998 | 3 | $1,663,000 | -50% | -45% | 1,969 | $845 | $22,244,000 | 10 |
| Mar 30, 1998 | 3 | $413,280 | -75% | -33% | 1,968 | $210 | $22,657,595 | 11 |
| Mar 31, 1998 | 3 | $560,880 | +36% | -36% | 1,968 | $285 | $23,218,475 | 12 |
| Apr 1, 1998 | 2 | $521,520 | -7% | -40% | 1,968 | $265 | $23,739,995 | 13 |
| Apr 2, 1998 | 2 | $501,840 | -4% | -40% | 1,968 | $255 | $24,241,835 | 14 |
| Apr 3, 1998 | 6 | $1,245,000 | +148% | -42% | 1,975 | $630 | $25,487,000 | 15 |
| Apr 4, 1998 | 5 | $2,290,000 | +84% | -32% | 1,975 | $1,159 | $27,777,000 | 16 |
| Apr 5, 1998 | 5 | $1,057,000 | -54% | -36% | 1,976 | $535 | $28,944,755 | 17 |
| Apr 6, 1998 | 7 | $305,815 | -71% | -26% | 1,976 | $155 | $29,250,570 | 18 |
| Apr 7, 1998 | 7 | $345,275 | +13% | -38% | 1,976 | $175 | $29,595,845 | 19 |
| Apr 8, 1998 | 7 | $344,925 | n/c | -34% | 1,976 | $175 | $29,940,770 | 20 |
| Apr 9, 1998 | 6 | $395,230 | +15% | -21% | 1,976 | $200 | $30,336,000 | 21 |
| Apr 10, 1998 | 10 | $775,000 | +96% | -38% | 1,775 | $437 | $31,111,000 | 22 |
| Apr 11, 1998 | 9 | $1,005,000 | +30% | -56% | 1,775 | $566 | $32,116,000 | 23 |
| Apr 12, 1998 | 9 | $551,000 | -45% | -48% | 1,779 | $310 | $32,735,000 | 24 |
Weekly Box Office Performance
| Date | Rank | Gross | % Change | Theaters | Per Theater | Total Gross | Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 20, 1998 | 2 | $15,238,535 | 1,965 | $7,755 | $15,238,535 | 1 | |
| Mar 27, 1998 | 3 | $9,003,300 | -41% | 1,968 | $4,575 | $24,241,835 | 2 |
| Apr 3, 1998 | 5 | $6,083,085 | -32% | 1,976 | $3,078 | $30,324,920 | 3 |
| Apr 10, 1998 | 10 | $3,299,480 | -46% | 1,779 | $1,855 | $33,624,400 | 4 |
| Apr 17, 1998 | 12 | $1,921,632 | -42% | 1,317 | $1,459 | $35,546,032 | 5 |
| Apr 24, 1998 | 19 | $1,050,645 | -45% | 926 | $1,135 | $36,596,677 | 6 |
| May 1, 1998 | 21 | $703,660 | -33% | 734 | $959 | $37,300,337 | 7 |
| May 8, 1998 | 23 | $401,245 | -43% | 457 | $878 | $37,701,582 | 8 |
| May 15, 1998 | 26 | $331,060 | -17% | 347 | $954 | $38,032,642 | 9 |
| May 22, 1998 | 27 | $308,430 | -7% | 267 | $1,155 | $38,341,072 | 10 |
| May 29, 1998 | 29 | $232,925 | -24% | 277 | $841 | $38,573,997 | 11 |
| Jun 5, 1998 | 29 | $196,590 | -16% | 246 | $799 | $38,770,587 | 12 |
| Jun 12, 1998 | 38 | $133,595 | -32% | 179 | $746 | $38,904,182 | 13 |
Leading
| John Travolta | Jack Stanton | |
| Emma Thompson | Susan Stanton |
Supporting
| Adrian Lester | Henry Burton | |
| Billy Bob Thornton | Richard Jemmons | |
| Maura Tierney | Daisy Green | |
| Kathy Bates | Libby Holden | |
| Larry Hagman | Freddy Picker | |
| Paul Guilfoyle | Howard Ferguson | |
| Caroline Aaron | Lucille Kaufman | |
| Rebecca Walker | March Cunningham | |
| Gia Carides | Cashmere McLeod | |
| Stacy Edwards | Jennifer Rogers | |
| Diane Ladd | Mamma Stanton | |
| Allison Janney | Miss Walsh | |
| Tony Shalhoub | Eddie Reyes |
Cameo
| James Earl Jones | CNN Voiceover (voice) |
Supporting
| Mykelti Williamson | Dewayne Smith | |
| Rob Reiner | Izzy Rosenblatt |
Cameo
| Larry King | Himself |
Production and Technical Credits
| Mike Nichols | 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.
Metrics
| Opening Weekend: | $12,045,395 (30.9% of total gross) |
| Legs: | 3.24 (domestic box office/biggest weekend) |
| Domestic Share: | 100.0% (domestic box office/worldwide) |
| Production Budget: | $65,000,000 (worldwide box office is 0.6 times production budget) |
| Theater counts: | 1,965 opening theaters/1,976 max. theaters, 6.3 weeks average run per theater |
| Infl. Adj. Dom. BO | $94,092,403 |
Movie Details
| Domestic Releases: | March 20th, 1998 (Wide) by Universal |
| Video Release: | September 8th, 1998 by Universal Home Entertainment |
| MPA Rating: | R for strong language and sexual references |
| Running Time: | 143 minutes |
| Plot point: | Political |
| Subgenre: | Comedy Drama |
| Source: | Based on Fiction Book/Short Story |
| Genre: | Comedy |
| Production Method: | Live Action |
| Creative Type: | Dramatization |
Weekend Box Office Performance
| Date | Rank | Gross | % Change | Theaters | Per Theater | Total Gross | Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 20, 1998 | 2 | $12,045,395 | 1,965 | $6,130 | $12,045,395 | 1 | |
| Mar 27, 1998 | 3 | $7,005,780 | -42% | 1,968 | $3,560 | $22,244,315 | 2 |
| Apr 3, 1998 | 5 | $4,702,920 | -33% | 1,976 | $2,380 | $28,944,755 | 3 |
| Apr 10, 1998 | 10 | $2,410,545 | -49% | 1,779 | $1,355 | $32,735,465 | 4 |
| Apr 17, 1998 | 12 | $1,534,305 | -36% | 1,317 | $1,165 | $35,158,705 | 5 |
| Apr 24, 1998 | 18 | $833,400 | -46% | 926 | $900 | $36,379,432 | 6 |
| May 1, 1998 | 21 | $550,515 | -34% | 734 | $750 | $37,147,192 | 7 |
| May 8, 1998 | 22 | $313,045 | -43% | 457 | $685 | $37,613,382 | 8 |
| May 15, 1998 | 25 | $237,695 | -24% | 347 | $685 | $37,939,277 | 9 |
| May 22, 1998 | 27 | $242,970 | +2% | 267 | $910 | $38,275,612 | 10 |
| May 29, 1998 | 31 | $153,735 | -37% | 277 | $555 | $38,494,807 | 11 |
| Jun 5, 1998 | 29 | $140,220 | -9% | 246 | $570 | $38,714,217 | 12 |
| Jun 12, 1998 | 38 | $85,920 | -39% | 179 | $480 | $38,856,507 | 13 |
| Jun 19, 1998 | 39 | $61,875 | -28% | 104 | $595 | $38,966,057 | 14 |
Daily Box Office Performance
| Date | Rank | Gross | %YD | %LW | Theaters | Per Theater | Total Gross | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 20, 1998 | 2 | $3,630,000 | 1,966 | $1,846 | $3,630,000 | 1 | ||
| Mar 21, 1998 | 2 | $5,470,000 | +51% | 1,966 | $2,782 | $9,100,000 | 2 | |
| Mar 22, 1998 | 2 | $3,026,000 | -45% | 1,966 | $1,539 | $12,045,395 | 3 | |
| Mar 23, 1998 | 3 | $618,975 | -80% | 1,965 | $315 | $12,664,370 | 4 | |
| Mar 24, 1998 | 3 | $880,000 | +42% | 1,966 | $448 | $13,544,370 | 5 | |
| Mar 25, 1998 | 2 | $864,615 | -2% | 1,965 | $440 | $14,403,410 | 6 | |
| Mar 26, 1998 | 2 | $835,125 | -3% | 1,965 | $425 | $15,238,535 | 7 | |
| Mar 27, 1998 | 3 | $2,160,000 | +159% | -40% | 1,969 | $1,097 | $17,399,000 | 8 |
| Mar 28, 1998 | 3 | $3,350,000 | +55% | -39% | 1,969 | $1,701 | $20,749,000 | 9 |
| Mar 29, 1998 | 3 | $1,663,000 | -50% | -45% | 1,969 | $845 | $22,244,000 | 10 |
| Mar 30, 1998 | 3 | $413,280 | -75% | -33% | 1,968 | $210 | $22,657,595 | 11 |
| Mar 31, 1998 | 3 | $560,880 | +36% | -36% | 1,968 | $285 | $23,218,475 | 12 |
| Apr 1, 1998 | 2 | $521,520 | -7% | -40% | 1,968 | $265 | $23,739,995 | 13 |
| Apr 2, 1998 | 2 | $501,840 | -4% | -40% | 1,968 | $255 | $24,241,835 | 14 |
| Apr 3, 1998 | 6 | $1,245,000 | +148% | -42% | 1,975 | $630 | $25,487,000 | 15 |
| Apr 4, 1998 | 5 | $2,290,000 | +84% | -32% | 1,975 | $1,159 | $27,777,000 | 16 |
| Apr 5, 1998 | 5 | $1,057,000 | -54% | -36% | 1,976 | $535 | $28,944,755 | 17 |
| Apr 6, 1998 | 7 | $305,815 | -71% | -26% | 1,976 | $155 | $29,250,570 | 18 |
| Apr 7, 1998 | 7 | $345,275 | +13% | -38% | 1,976 | $175 | $29,595,845 | 19 |
| Apr 8, 1998 | 7 | $344,925 | n/c | -34% | 1,976 | $175 | $29,940,770 | 20 |
| Apr 9, 1998 | 6 | $395,230 | +15% | -21% | 1,976 | $200 | $30,336,000 | 21 |
| Apr 10, 1998 | 10 | $775,000 | +96% | -38% | 1,775 | $437 | $31,111,000 | 22 |
| Apr 11, 1998 | 9 | $1,005,000 | +30% | -56% | 1,775 | $566 | $32,116,000 | 23 |
| Apr 12, 1998 | 9 | $551,000 | -45% | -48% | 1,779 | $310 | $32,735,000 | 24 |
Weekly Box Office Performance
| Date | Rank | Gross | % Change | Theaters | Per Theater | Total Gross | Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 20, 1998 | 2 | $15,238,535 | 1,965 | $7,755 | $15,238,535 | 1 | |
| Mar 27, 1998 | 3 | $9,003,300 | -41% | 1,968 | $4,575 | $24,241,835 | 2 |
| Apr 3, 1998 | 5 | $6,083,085 | -32% | 1,976 | $3,078 | $30,324,920 | 3 |
| Apr 10, 1998 | 10 | $3,299,480 | -46% | 1,779 | $1,855 | $33,624,400 | 4 |
| Apr 17, 1998 | 12 | $1,921,632 | -42% | 1,317 | $1,459 | $35,546,032 | 5 |
| Apr 24, 1998 | 19 | $1,050,645 | -45% | 926 | $1,135 | $36,596,677 | 6 |
| May 1, 1998 | 21 | $703,660 | -33% | 734 | $959 | $37,300,337 | 7 |
| May 8, 1998 | 23 | $401,245 | -43% | 457 | $878 | $37,701,582 | 8 |
| May 15, 1998 | 26 | $331,060 | -17% | 347 | $954 | $38,032,642 | 9 |
| May 22, 1998 | 27 | $308,430 | -7% | 267 | $1,155 | $38,341,072 | 10 |
| May 29, 1998 | 29 | $232,925 | -24% | 277 | $841 | $38,573,997 | 11 |
| Jun 5, 1998 | 29 | $196,590 | -16% | 246 | $799 | $38,770,587 | 12 |
| Jun 12, 1998 | 38 | $133,595 | -32% | 179 | $746 | $38,904,182 | 13 |
Leading
| John Travolta | Jack Stanton | |
| Emma Thompson | Susan Stanton |
Supporting
| Adrian Lester | Henry Burton | |
| Billy Bob Thornton | Richard Jemmons | |
| Maura Tierney | Daisy Green | |
| Kathy Bates | Libby Holden | |
| Larry Hagman | Freddy Picker | |
| Paul Guilfoyle | Howard Ferguson | |
| Caroline Aaron | Lucille Kaufman | |
| Rebecca Walker | March Cunningham | |
| Gia Carides | Cashmere McLeod | |
| Stacy Edwards | Jennifer Rogers | |
| Diane Ladd | Mamma Stanton | |
| Allison Janney | Miss Walsh | |
| Tony Shalhoub | Eddie Reyes |
Cameo
| James Earl Jones | CNN Voiceover (voice) |
Supporting
| Mykelti Williamson | Dewayne Smith | |
| Rob Reiner | Izzy Rosenblatt |
Cameo
| Larry King | Himself |
Production and Technical Credits
| Mike Nichols | 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.