Why Movies Open Friday

Movie fans know to look for new releases on Fridays, but why do studios consistently choose that day? The answer stems from a combination of audience habits and how studio gross sales are tracked and reported.

Why Friday Means Opening Weekend

Friday is the default because the industry treats Friday through Sunday as the box office weekend window. Thursday preview screenings often are grouped in with the Friday total. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood made $16.85 million on its Friday opening, including $5.8 million from Thursday previews. For The Odyssey, previews began Thursday afternoon, with a nationwide Friday opening.

Reported "weekend totals" emphasize Friday and Saturday numbers, with a projected Sunday total.

Why Studios Keep Using Friday

Choosing Friday dates is about more than sales patterns. It comes down to when people have free time. theaters have more evening showtimes on Friday, and people going out on a Friday night may factor in movie tickets.

While the industry standard is Friday, some movies get an earlier start. Previews may begin Thursday, including for major releases like Coyote vs. Acme. But that does not always mean a Thursday opening. Release dates are typically shown on posters as the first Friday of Friday-to-Sunday weekend.

Even outside the US, Friday is the default release day and opening-weekend driver., the first week of a film's release in India accounted for 60 to 70 percent of total box-office revenue.

Essentially, Movie Release Fridays Are More Than a Convention

Take that fact home, movie fans. When a film is "coming soon" to a theater, do not put it off until Sunday. If you value not having a seat among chatty Tuesday-night crowds, look into Thursday previews. The release date on the poster may say Friday, but the crowd breaks into the theater on Thursday.