Minions & Monsters Hit No. 1 Before Its Official Release — And It’s Not the First Movie to Do It
Over the years, it has become apparent just how much the world loves Minions.
The breakout characters of Illumination’s Despicable Me series might be short in stature, but their vibrant personalities are more than enough to make up for it - that, and their penchant for bananas.
Along with the mainline Despicable Me movies, there have also been many Minion-centric projects, such as the aptly-named Minions and Minions: The Rise of Gru. Now, the third Minions movie, Minions & Monsters, releases July 1 — but it has already hit No.1 in Germany.
This feat isn’t another one of Gru’s nefarious schemes. It is actually due to some little-known release tactics. Namely, the way some movies do special preview events before official releases. The kicker? Each and every one of these tickets counts towards the box office.
Although some recent films, like The Sheep Detectives, have tried this method, other movies have had success thanks to it. Pixar’s Onward, for instance, had a tough break by releasing on the precipice of the pandemic, but its box office position was helped by preview tickets. Meanwhile, movies like Kung Fu Panda 3, Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation and Neighbours also hit No.1 ahead of their official release.
But how does this strategy actually work in practise? Read on to find out…
How Do Movies Reach The Box Office Before Opening Day?
One way films do this is through nationwide preview events. For example, before its March 6 release, Onward had several preview screenings on February 29. It’s also common practice for family-friendly movies, especially, to open the weekend before their release, as is the case with Minions & Monsters.
There are also ‘fan-first screenings,’ which take advantage of the fandoms surrounding particular blockbusters, such as superhero movies. On top of that, there are holiday preview events, with special screenings intertwined with specific holidays like Christmas or, more generally, school holidays or half terms in order to maximise family viewings. The final example is when there are exclusive early screenings in specific regions and cinema chains.
How Do I Attend Early Screenings?
Along with keeping your eyes peeled at your local cinema, one way to attend early screenings is by becoming a member of movie theatre chains like Odeon and Cineworld. Odeon calls its advance screenings ‘Screen Unseen,’ while Cineworld refers to its membership scheme as ‘Cineworld Unlimited.’
Other types of screenings don’t necessarily count towards the box office, but are still handy if you want to be an early bird.
More upmarket cinemas like Everyman and other independent movie theatres also offer the occasional preview screenings in the UK, which sometimes include a talk with the director or producer.
Moreover, if you’re London-based, preview screening events are also sometimes run by the likes of Dazed Club and MASSIVE Cinema. And if you’re willing to part with a little more money, the BFI London Film Festival screens dozens of movies earlier for audiences, often as part of galas that the public can attend.
As they say, the early bird catches the worm. Or, in the Minions’ case, bananas.
