NEW DELHI: Chaos Walking, a science fiction adventure starring Daisy Ridley and Tom Holland, is all set to hit Indian screens this Friday, signalling the arrival of a Hollywood line-up to the country for the coming weeks.
Over the next few months, the American film industry is getting ready for an eventful summer in India with a slate of big releases such as Disney’s spy thriller Black Widow, the latest instalment of the Fast and Furious franchise, F9, in May, and Tom Cruise-starrer Top Gun: Maverick in July.
Also Read | How citizen data led India’s covid battle
Several smaller titles such as Mortal Kombat, A Quiet Place: Part II, Godzilla vs Kong, and The Conjuring will also draw attention during that period.
Amid the pandemic, the first movie titles to hit the big screen in India were from Hollywood. These included Christopher Nolan’s Tenet and superhero film Wonder Woman 1984 with box office collections of Rs12.43 crore and Rs15.54 crore respectively.
Prospects for films are looking up with the covid vaccine being rolled out.
India is a small but important market for Hollywood and it is crucial that they build on the success of Tenet and Wonder Woman that enjoyed the first-mover advantage given the absence of new local films, film and trade experts say.
Traditionally, big-scale Hollywood films could notch up a screen count of 1,500-2,000 in India, but given some of the space left over by Bollywood, it would not be surprising if they manage wider release. Further, the release of Tenet and Wonder Woman 1984 are clear signs of Hollywood’s intention to look at launching films in theatres.
India has often demonstrated its love for Hollywood titles, especially big spectacles such as Avengers Endgame, which is the highest-grossing American film in the country at Rs373.22 crore, followed by Avengers: Infinity War ( Rs227.43 crore) and The Jungle Book (Rs188 crore).
Click here to read the Mint ePaperMint is now on Telegram. Join Mint channel in your Telegram and stay updated with the latest business news.