Conservative podcaster Matt Walsh’s documentary “Am I Racist?” and the faith-based film “God’s Not Dead: In God We Trust” have made waves in the specialty box office, landing at the fourth and tenth positions, respectively. The weekend saw strong performances from both films, alongside notable offerings in anime and independent cinema.
“Am I Racist?”, which marks the first theatrical release from The Daily Wire, co-founded by Jeremy Boreing and Ben Shapiro, debuted with an impressive $4.75 million across 1,517 screens, securing the fourth spot at the domestic box office. This launch is deemed one of the most successful documentary debuts in recent years. The film critiques Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives and benefitted from distribution by SDG Releasing, known for previously handling Walsh’s film “What Is A Woman?”
The documentary provides an intriguing narrative of Walsh, who goes undercover dressed in a tweed jacket and sporting a ponytail, attempting to acquire a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion certificate in a satirical exploration of “anti-racism.” Audience reception has been enthusiastic, with a remarkable 99% score on Rotten Tomatoes from over 500 ratings, although no critics’ score has been recorded.
Geographic interest in the film spans major DMAs like Los Angeles, New York, Dallas-Ft. Worth, and more, with a demographic breakdown showing 56% of viewers identifying as male and 44% female, alongside a 64% Caucasian audience. The Daily Wire reports having a substantial reach of 220 million monthly across its platforms, with a paid subscriber base of around one million.
On the other hand, “God’s Not Dead: In God We Trust”, from Fathom Events, accumulated approximately $1.46 million on 1,392 screens, rounding out the top ten with a total of $1.83 million including Thursday previews. Directed by Vance Null, this film stars David A.R. White as Reverend David Hill, portraying his congressional run against a rival intent on diminishing religious influence in governance. This film is the fifth installment in the “God’s Not Dead” series, which includes previous entries dating back to 2014, and boasts a 98% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes from over 250 reviews.
In a noteworthy entry, “Dan Da Dan: First Encounter,” an anime series distributed by GKids, debuted strongly with over $1 million from limited screenings at 610 locations. The event showcased the series’ first three episodes, complemented by interviews with key contributors, receiving an outstanding 99% rating from audiences.
Additionally, the film “The Critic,” featuring Ian McKellen, opened to around $200,000 on 556 screens, while “My Old Ass,” starring Aubrey Plaza and Maisy Stella, generated a commendable $171,200 despite being shown in just seven theaters in select cities. This film, backed by Amazon MGM Studios, is set to expand its reach in the coming weeks, riding on positive critical acclaim and strong audience interest.
As these films carve out their space in the box office, they reflect a growing trend of content catering to diverse perspectives and interests within the ever-evolving cinematic landscape.