Not many documentaries get released on 450 screens right out of the gate, but Roadside Attractions/Miramax’s “Whitney” will do so in hopes of capitalizing on the passionate fanbase of its subject, music legend Whitney Houston.
There are no projections for the Kevin Macdonald doc, but a reasonable comparison would be “Amy,” another documentary about a recently-deceased musician, which made $1.8 million in its first wide release on 341 screens.
While the second quarter of 2018 set an industry record thanks to franchise staples like “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Incredibles 2,” the box office riches have also trickled down to arthouses thanks to a trio of acclaimed documentaries.