DRAGON BALL SUPER: BROLY Goes Super Saiyan with #1 Box Office Opening in U.S. for Funimation Films

: 17 January 2019

Source: Funimation Entertainment press release Official Site: dbmovie-20th.com (Japan), dragonballsuperofficial.com (US) Special Thanks to Scott Barretto The North American Box Office was no match for the Dragon Ball franchise and its Super Saiyan warriors. DRAGON BALL SUPER: BROLY (???????? ????, Doragon B?ru-Ch? Buror?, 2018), the highly-anticipated new anime feature from Funimation Films, the theatrical division of Sony Pictures Television’s Funimation, opened as the #1 movie in the U.S. with a stunning $7M+ box office on its first day. Opening on 1,440 screens including 180 IMAX and Cinemark XD premium large format screens, DRAGON BALL SUPER: BROLY also took 1st place among the Top 10 movies with a $5,695 per screen average. Based on yesterday’s box office, DRAGON BALL SUPER: BROLY, the 20th Dragon Ball feature film, is the biggest opening for an event film ever as well as the 5th highest earning anime theatrical opening of all time. The film’s $7M+ box office also sets a new opening day record for Funimation Films. The previous record was $1.97M set in 2015 by DRAGON BALL Z: RESURRECTION ‘F’ (???????????????, Doragon B?ru Zetto: Fukkatsu no ‘F’), the 19th Dragon Ball film. “Both anime and mainstream audience response to DRAGON BALL SUPER: BROLY has been overwhelmingly positive. We anticipated a strong opening, but we’re thrilled that the box office exceeded even the high end of our estimate,” said Gen Fukunaga, CEO and President of Funimation. “We’re thrilled to hear that countless fans have or plan to watch the film multiple times. Fans are at the core of our strategy for this film. From the theatrical campaign and fan engagement events to our theatrical footprint and IMAX / Cinemark XD opening day presentation, our goal has been to make DRAGON BALL SUPER: BROLY available to as many fans as possible through the widest array of touchpoints. This strategy has paid off.” DRAGON BALL SUPER: BROLY follows the events of the hit anime series DRAGON BALL SUPER, the first new Dragon Ball storyline from original creator Akira Toriyama in more than 18 years. Since premiering in summer 2015, DRAGON BALL SUPER has propelled the popularity of the franchise globally -- with both lifelong fans and a whole new generation of children and teens. The 2015 release of DRAGON BALL Z: RESURRECTION ‘F’, was a box office blockbuster -- grossing $8.4M in North America to become the first independent film to make the Top 10 list of highest grossing anime films domestically as well as establish a new record for the highest grossing event style theatrical release in the U.S. For more about DRAGON BALL SUPER: BROLY including tickets, theater locations, trailers and cast information, visit dragonballsuperofficial.com. Like Funimation on Facebook at facebook.com/funimation, and follow them on Twitter at twitter.com/funimation and on Instagram at instagram.com/funimation.

About Funimation Films

Funimation, a subsidiary of Sony Pictures Television, is the global leader in the world of anime. A fully integrated, next-generation entertainment studio, the company`s fan-first philosophy is anchored in its omnichannel approach to its immersive offerings. From streaming and home entertainment to theatrical distribution and broadcast, Funimation`s commitment to character-driven storytelling, combined with tech innovation and key distribution partnerships, provides audiences with multiple and meaningful touchpoints to connect with this immersive world. Funimation Films, the theatrical division of Funimation, acquires and distributes both anime and live action movies from prominent international filmmakers that appeal to the interests and passion of all types of fans throughout North America. For more information on Funimation Films, visit funimationfilms.com.

For more information on the DRAGON BALL SUPER: BROLY, please see the earlier coverage here on SciFi Japan: