Prime Video’s December Success

December has been a remarkable month for Prime Video. According to the streaming service, the Christmas movie “Red One,” featuring Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans, drew an unprecedented 50 million viewers globally during its opening weekend (over four days), making it Amazon MGM Studios’ most-watched film premiere on the platform.

Box Office Performance and Budget

This film is experiencing a true Christmas miracle, having a hefty budget of $250 million yet only earning $32 million domestically in its opening last month. Kevin Wilson, Amazon MGM’s head of theatrical distribution, suggested that the studio’s rationale for investing heavily without expecting significant ticket sales lies in their business model. He explained to Variety in November, “Whether or not people like it, the value of these movies is different for our business model. … If we can put these movies out theatrically and cover our P&A [print and advertising] costs, why wouldn’t we? We’re getting a massive marketing campaign that’s being paid for before the film gets to streaming.”

Critical Reception

Despite receiving poor reviews from critics like Owen Gleiberman of Variety, who gave it a 33% “rotten” rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the film performed better with audiences, achieving an A- rating from CinemaScore, a moviegoer polling service.

Cast and Crew

“Red One,” which continues to be shown in over 3,000 theaters in North America and 3,300 internationally, features an ensemble cast that includes Lucy Liu, Kiernan Shipka, Bonnie Hunt, Kristofer Hivju, Nick Kroll, Wesley Kimmel, and J.K. Simmons. The film is directed by Jake Kasdan, with a screenplay penned by Chris Morgan. Producers include Hiram Garcia, Dwayne Johnson, and Dany Garcia from Seven Bucks Productions, Chris Morgan from Chris Morgan Productions, and Jake Kasdan and Melvin Mar from The Detective Agency.

Plot Overview

This PG-13 holiday action-comedy centers on Johnson’s character, Callum Drift, who is the head of North Pole security. He unwillingly partners with Chris Evans’ mischievous hacker Jack O’Malley to rescue a kidnapped Santa Claus just in time for Christmas.

Future Prospects

Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon MGM Studios, remarked on the film’s streaming success, stating, “Given the audience response to ‘Red One’ both in theaters and on Prime Video, the film will clearly be a perennial holiday favorite for years to come. Every film is different, and we are so grateful for the partnership with our filmmakers in collectively finding the right strategy to get this film in front of the widest possible audience. With ‘Red One,’ there was no doubt that strategy needed to include a theatrical release and associated marketing campaign, which drove audiences to theaters and generated awareness for the film with viewers who would ultimately tune in on Prime Video. It’s rewarding to see our plan pay off for customers, and we are incredibly thankful to the entire filmmaking team and cast who helped make it happen.”

Previous Record Holder

Earlier this year, Prime Video announced that Jake Gyllenhaal’s “Road House” was its most-watched debut film, also claiming 50 million viewers, although that figure was accumulated over two weekends, unlike the four-day window for “Red One.”

Persons

Dwayne Johnson, Chris Evans, Kevin Wilson, Owen Gleiberman, Lucy Liu, Kiernan Shipka, Bonnie Hunt, Kristofer Hivju, Nick Kroll, Wesley Kimmel, J.K. Simmons, Jake Kasdan, Hiram Garcia, Dany Garcia, Chris Morgan, Melvin Mar, Jennifer Salke, Jake Gyllenhaal

Company Names

Prime Video, Amazon MGM Studios, Variety, CinemaScore, Seven Bucks Productions, Chris Morgan Productions, The Detective Agency

Titles

Red One, Road House

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