It seems that VOD is no longer a dirty word.
Bachelorette, the film that garnered some love at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, is making the instant version of the dreaded “straight to DVD” movie look like a viable marketing tool. The film is set to hit theaters on September 7 but is already occupying the top spot on the iTunes movie charts (according to Deadline), meaning the potentially viral push might just be working. Bachelorette has also raked in over $500k from its iTunes throne, placing it alongside a film many considered wildly successful: Moonrise Kingdom.
Moonrise Kingdom, Wes Anderson’s latest, opened on only four screens in Los Angeles and New York and pulled in $509,000 in its first weekend. And now, we find the relatively painless iTunes pre-release of a film that was originally billed as “the female Hangover” finding its footing and similarly-sized boost before it even hits its opening weekend. It’s enough to make you wonder: Is this a viable blueprint for soft-launching indies?
Well, let’s first consider the elements of Bachelorette, because it may not be a cut and dry case. Bachelorette does have a bit of a leg up. The film follows of the vastly quieted steam from the success of Bridesmaids, following a group of ragtag (and hopefully hilarious) bridesmaids to their best friend’s wedding and watching them encounter mountains of trouble along the way — these mountains just happen to be laced with cocaine and problems a bit more dire than food poisoning at a bridal shop. The film even borrows from the Kristen-Wiig-approved actor pool, pulling in her Bridesmaids co-star Rebel Wilson and her Friends With Kids co-star Adam Scott. And if those buzzy names weren’t enough, standby funny lady Lizzy Caplan stars alongside Isla Fisher, Kirsten Dunst, and charmer James Marsden.
The problem is that the action is so hairy, our Bachelorettes are potentially difficult to side with. But perhaps this apparently successful soft launch will help put audiences in the right mindset to enjoy the movie for what it purports to be: a giant, comedic romp leading up to a (probably) ruined wedding. Wilson’s character may be headed for a disaster of a special day, but Bachelorette might finally be on the right track.
Will you see Bachelorette on Sept. 7?
Follow Kelsea on Twitter @KelseaStahler
[Photo Credit: BCDF Pictures]
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More:
‘Moonrise Kingdom’ Breaks Indie Box Office Records
Sundance 2012: Don’t Confuse ‘Bachelorette’ With ‘Bridesmaids’
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