Gay-Themed Moonlight Scores Highest Per-Screen Average Of 2016

While Moonlight has been getting exceptional reviews, it looks like a lot of people have been underestimating its box office potential – probably because they presumed its gay and African-American themes would limit its appeal (which is also probably why it wasn’t picked up by a major distributor). However, it’s surprised many by scoring an exceptional $103,675 per screen average on its first weekend of release in the US.

It was only playing on four screens (two in LA and two in New York), but even so it joins an elite list of only 25 other movies to average more than $100,000 per location in its first weekend. In comparison, Boo! A Madea Halloween, the weekend’s top movie, only took around $12,600 per theatre.

It certainly bodes well for the movie, which many have said ought to be a major awards contender, but many had written it off because they assumed it wouldn’t be seen widely enough, and also because its distributor, A24, doesn’t have the enormous budget needed for a massive Oscar campaign. However, if it can continue its success as a sleeper hit and get more people talking, it may well have a decent shot at some nominations.

Here’s the synopsis: ‘MOONLIGHT is the tender, heartbreaking story of a young man’s struggle to find himself, told across three defining chapters in his life as he experiences the ecstasy, pain, and beauty of falling in love, while grappling with his own sexuality. Anchored by astonishing performances and the singular vision of filmmaker Barry Jenkins, MOONLIGHT is a groundbreaking exploration of masculinity-a sensual, intoxicating piece of cinema that uncovers deep truths about the moments that define us, the people who shape us most, and the ache of love that can last a lifetime.’