Rajinikanth’s ‘Jailer 2’ is heading towards its October 15 theatrical release amid reports of a box-office revenue-sharing dispute between distributors and theatre owners. The disagreement is said to affect screenings in parts of Salem, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri and Namakkal districts in Tamil Nadu. With anticipation running high for the Nelson Dilipkumar directorial, the reported issue has raised questions about whether the film will reach all planned theatres on its opening day. However, an official list of potentially affected theatres has not been released, and the outcome of the discussions between the two sides remains unclear.
‘Jailer 2’ distributors reportedly demand 75% box-office share
At the centre of the reported ‘Jailer 2’ release trouble is the share of ticket revenue allocated to distributors and theatre owners. As reported by One India, the distributors are seeking 75% of the box-office revenue. Theatre owners, however, are reportedly unwilling to agree to that demand, stating they can offer a maximum share of around 65%, similar to the reported arrangement for Vijay’s ‘Jana Nayagan.’ The difference has reportedly led to a deadlock in negotiations. With the release date approaching, both sides face pressure to reach an agreement and avoid disruptions to the film’s theatrical rollout.
‘Jana Nayagan’ revenue-sharing issue returns with ‘Jailer 2’
The latest dispute has brought back memories of similar discussions ahead of ‘Jana Nayagan,’ starring Vijay. Reports surrounding that film had also pointed to demands for a larger share of ticket revenue for the production or distribution side. Theatre owners had expressed concerns that giving away too much of the collections could leave them with limited earnings, even if a film opened strongly. The same report later suggested that a 65:35 revenue-sharing arrangement had been accepted for ‘Jana Nayagan.‘ This reported conflict over ‘Jailer 2’ is evidence that revenue sharing can be a significant source of conflict when highly-anticipated films are about to be released.
‘Jailer 2’ theatre owners raise concerns over revenue and operating costs
Theatre owners will have to meet many costs out of their share of the tickets sold, including salaries for employees, electricity charges, and other maintenance charges. Taxes and the profit-sharing agreement also influence how much they get from each ticket sold. Even though movies featuring well-known actors might pull in a lot of people in the first few days, collections might decrease as the movie runs in theatres. Theatre owners worry that taking a larger share for the distributor might put them at risk if the movie’s performance drops earlier than expected.For ‘Jailer 2’, the immediate issue is whether the conflict can be sorted out before October 15.
