The Greatest Showman #766 – Strong Momentum

The promotion, which began just three days ago, is nearing its end.

At this time, Renly's treatment and status have undergone significant changes. Although Lionsgate did not go all out with promoting Anti-Cancer Me, the appeal of Renly and Seth still led to numerous program invitations. These included appearances on The Tonight Show and The Ellen Show, as well as six live radio interviews, three fan meetings in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Boston, and fifteen media interviews.

In addition to this, Renly participated in three radio broadcasts to promote Don Quixote and hosted a fan meeting in Manhattan. Unlike typical signing parties or meet-and-greets, this event resembled a post-release book exchange, where Renly sat down with fans to discuss music and share insights from the album creation process.

This exchange was broadcast live on YouTube, attracting a total of 1.5 million viewers during the stream. Afterward, the event racked up an astounding 8 million views within just 48 hours—a rare achievement in 2011, when live broadcasts were still a novelty.

The live broadcast received over 60,000 questions, and Renly responded to 20 of them. These weren't just about Don Quixote but also Renly's views on music, including a discussion about his song "Believe in My Faith" from Crazy Love and his potential future involvement in film soundtracks.

The exchange lasted 90 minutes, sparking lively discussions and generating long-lasting buzz. Even after Renly returned to London to resume filming Edge of Tomorrow, the influence of his actions continued to grow. In fact, the chain reaction truly began to build after Renly left New York.

The fifteen media interviews weren't released all at once but staggered over time. They discussed Crazy Love, Anti-Cancer Me, and the slowly unfolding award season. The interviews quietly built momentum, and as time passed, the film's reputation grew, attracting more and more viewers to theaters.

By the third week of December, Crazy Love had surpassed $100 million at the North American box office, and Anti-Cancer Me emerged as one of the season's most surprising successes.

The second week of December, following the release of Anti-Cancer Me, is a crucial period for any film. This week's box office drop is often seen as a key indicator of a movie's long-term potential. As expected, the holiday season buzz picked up. The ensemble film New Year's Eve and the spoof comedy Nanny's Adventures both debuted in over 3,000 theaters, rejuvenating the market.

New Year's Eve was a classic holiday movie. Following the success of Valentine's Day, which had done well the previous year, this movie was expected to do the same. It featured a star-studded cast and was marketed as a family-friendly holiday film, appealing to a broad audience.

On the other hand, Nanny's Adventures, directed by David Gordon Green, was a spoof comedy starring Jonah Hill, following the success of films like Pineapple Express and The Hangover. It was another low-key comedy, perfect for the holiday season.

While the movie theaters did indeed see a surge of audience activity, the surprising fact was that the largest crowds weren't drawn to these two new releases, but to Anti-Cancer Me. According to a survey by US Weekly, 36% of audiences chose Anti-Cancer Me as their preferred holiday film, compared to 17% for New Year's Eve and 13% for Sherlock Holmes 2: The Game of Shadows (released the following week).

A small indie film about cancer and death, Anti-Cancer Me had unexpectedly become the season's most popular film, defying expectations. This was a valuable case study for the industry, providing a unique perspective on box office trends during the holiday season.

Meanwhile, New Year's Eve and Nanny's Adventures were both significant flops. New Year's Eve grossed only $13 million in its opening weekend—far below the $56 million opening of Valentine's Day the previous year. Meanwhile, Nanny's Adventures grossed just $9 million, an utterly disappointing result, considering its production cost of $25 million.

The market was unforgiving during the holiday season, and these films' failures added to the industry's challenges. While holiday seasons are often seen as a lucrative period for films, they also hold risks, as demonstrated by the struggles of these two movies.

By the second week of its release, Anti-Cancer Me was performing exceptionally well. Lionsgate added 57 more theaters, increasing the film's exposure. The weekend box office drop was an impressive 32%, with the movie grossing $21 million over three days and a cumulative total of $68 million. In just two weeks, this $8 million comedy was already one of the most profitable films of the year.

Anti-Cancer Me's remarkable performance continued to defy all expectations, securing the North American weekend box-office crown for the second consecutive week.

In the same week, New Year's Eve, Nanny's Adventures, Dawn (Part 1), and The Muppets Movie rounded out the top five films, all of which had experienced disappointing results.

By the third week of December, the North American box office was primed for a major surge. Three major films—Sherlock Holmes 2: The Game of Shadows, Mission Impossible 4, and Sherlock 3—were set to hit theaters, signaling the start of a highly competitive period. Among them, Mission Impossible 4 took an unconventional approach, premiering in only 425 theaters before expanding nationwide the following week, creating anticipation through word of mouth.

Meanwhile, Sherlock Holmes 2 and Sherlock 3 were poised to compete directly against each other, each targeting different demographics. The battle for audience attention was bound to heat up, bringing much-needed energy to the market after a slower-than-expected holiday season.

As the box office battle raged on, Anti-Cancer Me continued to defy all odds and outperformed even the most optimistic predictions, making its mark as a surprise success story of the holiday season.