Cinemas across Nigeria are bracing for a likely record-breaking weekend, as blockbuster movie “Avengers: Endgame” hits theaters on Friday, April 26th. The movie has a same-day release in North America where it is projected to have the biggest opening weekend in Hollywood history.
It opened in China on Tuesday, earning $107 million, enough for the biggest opening day for a feature film in the region. Other records are expected to be broken as the film expands across the globe.
Nairametrics spoke with Moses Babatope, the Group Executive Director of Filmhouse Cinemas, to find out his firm’s expectations of the film.
What kind of profits are Nigerian cinemas expecting from showing the latest Avengers film?
Avengers: Endgame is arguably projected to be the biggest theatrical release in this region yet; considering the buildup to its release, the anticipation by its strong fan base, and historical facts peculiar to the Avengers Franchise. According to the books, the highest grossing film in our territory has been BLACK PANTHER which trickled in a little over N800 million. It won’t be an overestimation to place AVENGERS: Endgame on that same pedestal.
Has any movie grossed N1 billion and if not, do you think this film can do it?
No movie has done that. However, with the right marketing, Endgame may live up to that potential.
Did management make any special preparations to handle the extra demand for tickets?
Yes. We have ensured tickets opened up for sale earlier in the month via our online ticketing platform. We have also made preparations for queue buster tills across all of our cinemas, to ensure our guests purchase tickets at the fastest possible time.
Does a film with this much hype give room for Nigerian cinemas to increase ticket prices?
Having blockbuster pricing is a global standard for theatre operators, not just Nigerian cinemas. So, when a film is classified as a blockbuster, it is only ethical to sell at a little higher price than usual, especially in the opening weeks.
Are there any plans to extend the theatrical run of this movie due to its popularity?
Longevity of movies in cinema schedules is a function of demand. Avengers: End Game would most likely stay in cinemas for as long as it is in optimal demand.
it amazing i cant wait to watch it on cinema