The month is almost over and with it the end of the first part of what American studios have come to affectionately refer to as "Dump Month" - one of two annual periods (January-February and August-September) during which expectations for new theatrical releases are unusually low. Whether it's the hard facts of post-holiday spending, the colder weather in the northern hemisphere, or a widespread case of seasonal affective disorder, studios often use this time of year to release projects that aren't expected to do as well. to perform.
That said, studios and distributors have found ways to counter this trend. The key? Budget. Cheap, genre releases reign, from comedy and horror to movies made for teens. Niche target groups are also welcome. Studios also take advantage of upcoming holidays, such as Valentine's Day or even Groundhog's Day, and release fare that is likely to attract audience members who want to celebrate. Those looking for a last ditch effort during awards season can also throw their hats in the ring.
Being released during a Dump Month is of course far from a death knell. Here's a collection of movies that not only survived, but also thrived at the box office during their February release.
1 Black Panther (2018)
Profit: ≈ $1.1 billion
It is simply impossible to underestimate the magnitude of the impact Black Panther not only socially, but also economically. The superhero blockbuster absolutely dominated the box office when it hit theaters in 2018 during Black History Month. The more than impressive gross of over $1 billion easily puts the movie at the top of this list and its sequel, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, is poised to almost achieve this goal.
In 2019, the film would receive seven Oscar nominations, including one for Best Picture. By the end of the night, it would also take home accolades for Best Performance in Costume Design, Production Design, and Original Score.
2 Deadpool (2016)
Profit: ≈ $720 million
Unbeatable, of course deadpool. The development of this film, starring Ryan Reynolds, took over a decade - long before Reynolds first took on the role in X-Men origin: Wolverine. In a move sure to have been approved by Merc with a mouth, this movie was jokingly marketed as a romance movie ahead of its February 14, 2016 release date. sucked is still up for debate. .
However, its opening weekend grossed approximately $132 million and the film collected almost $800 million in total.
Fifty Shades of Gray (2015)
Profit: ≈ $530 million
Fifty Shades of grey came in right out of the gate, racking up nearly half of its domestic box office revenue in one Valentine's Day weekend. By then, the source material had long surpassed both Dan Brown and JK Rowling's sales records. As if making an adaptation of the best-selling book of the 2010s wasn't daunting enough, this film managed just fine on its own and may have even helped boost book sales while often being hailed as a banned book.
With a breakout role from Dakota Johnson, the film would receive a whopping 29 nominations. In the end, it was this movie's international sales of over $400 million, more than three times its domestic sales, that made this movie a success.
3 Schindler's List (1993)
Profit: ≈ $300 million
Yet another movie to profit from much more internationally than its domestic box office sales Schindler's List. The film made nearly $2.25 million worldwide, but less than half of that domestically. The film itself, which centers on one man in occupied Poland during World War II, has an impressive cast, from Liam Neeson in the titular role to Ralph Fiennes and Sir Ben Kingsley as chaperones.
Directed by the incomparable Steven Spielberg, this film arguably paved the way for his next World War II based film, Saving Private Ryan. This movie would go on to win the Oscars next year, taking home the awards for Best Picture, Director, Writing, Cinematography, Art Direction, Film Editing, and Original Score in addition to the $322 million.
4 Go Away (2017)
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Profit: ≈ $250 million
Filmed in Alabama over the course of 23 days on a budget of $5 million, Out is the perfect example of how to get the most out of a February release. Touted by both the zeitgeist and the box office, this film earned director, writer, and producer Jordan Peele the nod of being the first African-American in those roles to earn more than $100,000 in a debut film.
In fact, this movie practically tripled that amount and made about $250 million worldwide. Produced by the legendary horror factory Blumhouse, this film is often cited as one of the best films of the 2010s. So it should come as no surprise that it also has the highest number of award nominations on this list at over 100.
5 The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Profit: ≈ $250 million
The silence of the lambs was inappropriately released on Feb. 14, officially making it one of the scariest date night ideas of that year. Despite this, it became a worldwide box office success, earning nearly 14 times its $20 million production budget and introducing audiences to the complex dynamic between Clarice Starling (played by Jodie Foster) and Dr. Hannibal Lecter (played by Anthony Hopkins).
Based on the best-selling 1988 novel of the same name, it was technically the second of the series, as well as the second film to be completed on the series. That said, it would be far from the last. This movie would go on to inspire two television series and multiple prequels/sequels - only Hopkins would reprise his role at least twice. This movie took the Oscars by storm in 1992 where it won Best Picture, Screenplay, Director, Actress and of course Actor categories.
6 Valentine's Day (2010)
Profit: ≈ $165 million
In a move that was an absolute no-brainer, this movie was released on its titular day in 2010. Although Valentine's Daywas panned by critics (it currently maintains an 18% on Rotten Tomatoes), earning nearly half of its gross on its opening weekend alone. Inspired by other romantic comedies of the era, this movie featured an intertwining storyline with multiple characters. The cast acts as a who's who of Hollywood, with far too many big names to list. In order not to blow the budget, the production used a technique known as boarding, where a star works on set for only a few days in an accelerated block of shots. While the practice isn't recommended these days, this movie still serves as a reminder of the power of its release date.
7 Identity Thief (2013)
Profit: ≈ $140 million
Low-budget comedies are up for grabs in February, and identity thief is no exception. Although he initially worried that winter storms would affect its success, the film would go on to make nearly $35 million in its opening weekend, despite the closure of several theaters. Aided by the hilarious Melissa McCarthy and Jason Bateman, only the supporting cast is littered with comedic powerhouses. When all was said and done, the film made almost $175 million in total.
8 Ghost Rider (2007)
Profit: ≈ $110 million
Starring the Johnny Blaze incarnation of the titular entity, this movie snuck onto the big screen in 2007 with wide-eyed dreams and a superhero budget. With Nicolas Cage as the titular Ghost Rider alongside Eva Mendes and Sam Elliot, the film made nearly $230 million worldwide, not quite double its $120 million budget. The film would inspire a sequel in 2012. A year later, the rights to Ghost Rider reverted from Sony Picture to Marvel Studios. Fortunately, with six different Ghost Riders iterations to choose from, there's still plenty of material to pursue.
9 The Wedding Singer (1998)
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Profit: ≈ $100 million
A classic of TV reruns, The wedding singer ran in theaters for nearly nine weeks after its initial release. Featuring the classic duo of Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore (who would later reunite for 50 first dates And Blended), the supporting cast includes Christine Taylor, Kevin Nealon, Steve Buscemi, Jon Lovitz, and even Billy Idol. Sandler was brought in to work on the script uncredited, along with heavy-hitters Carrie Fisher and Judd Apatow.
Aside from uncredited labor, this movie continued to churn in theaters, making about $123 million in its wake.
With a little planning and a good bit of luck, it's absolutely possible to get a good return on investment for Dump Month movies, as long as you follow the budget, budget, and more budget cheat code.
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