CODEBLACK ENTERTAINMENT AND HARTBEAT PRODUCTIONS’ THEATRICAL RELEASE OF LAUGH AT MY PAIN TAKES ON INDEPENDENT DISTRIBUTION AND WINS WITH $1.9 MILLION OPENING WEEKEND
LAUGH AT MY PAIN Outperformed the #1 Ranked “Contagion” in Per Screen Average on only 97 Engagements
LOS ANGELES – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – This weekend, Kevin Hart’s LAUGH AT MY PAIN released on only 97 screens yet outperformed the box office competition in per screen averages, reporting a solid $20,619 per engagement. Independently distributed by Codeblack Entertainment and co-produced with Hartbeat Productions, LAUGH AT MY PAIN grossed $1.9 million and set a record as the best performing concert series since Martin Lawrence’s Live: Runteldat in 2002. Another impressive feat is that LAUGH AT MY PAIN earned the most of any film opening at fewer than 100 locations since Chicago in 2002. (Lionsgate’s Precious came close in 2009, bowing to $1.87 million from 18 engagements.)
With this weekend’s success of LAUGH AT MY PAIN, Codeblack Entertainment and Hartbeat Productions have changed the landscape for independent film distribution. Trailblazing a path more than a decade ago as pioneers of “straight to DVD” distribution, the company’s business model soon became an accepted and profitable industry standard. Elevating their position in the industry with this latest project, Codeblack continues to establish themselves as visionaries, leading the way in independent feature film production and distribution worldwide and at the forefront of multimedia, including the digital paradigm.
“I am extremely proud of this project and to have had the opportunity to work with someone as talented and business savvy as Kevin Hart,” states Jeff Clanagan, CEO of Codeblack Entertainment.
A combination of non-traditional marketing as well as Hart’s impressive fan base helped lead to the success of this weekend’s theatrical release. Hart has over 2 million Twitter followers, over 4 million fans on Facebook and over 23 million uploads on YouTube. Additionally, the campaign generated over 1.3 million media impressions.
Prior to this weekend’s national release, the appeal of LAUGH AT MY PAIN was evident by its advance ticket sales figures. In an exclusive partnership with AMC Theatres, LAUGH AT MY PAIN expanded from 86 theatres across the country to 97 just prior to debuting on September 9. Due to the box office success opening weekend, LAUGH AT MY PAIN will expand even further to 58 additional theaters on September 16. The film has also released in West Africa through a partnership with Silverbird Cinemas and will release in East Africa in the coming weeks.
LAUGH AT MY PAIN Synopsis:
The theatrical release of LAUGH AT MY PAIN is your opportunity to experience the stand-up stage show that quickly became a national phenomenon. Catch the original, never-before-seen Raw and Uncut backstage footage, and travel back to Philly with Kevin Hart where he began his journey to become one of the funniest comedians of all time, http://www.kevinhartlaughatmypain.com/.
