Synecdoche, New York
| Budget: $21 million | Financed by: Sidney Kimmel Entertainment |
|---|---|
| Domestic Gross: $3,083,538 | Domestic Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics |
| Overseas Gross: $1,310,143 | Directed by: Charlie Kaufman |
Starring: Philip Seymour Hoffman |
Produced by: Sidney Kimmel |
Sidney Kimmel Entertainment financed Synecdoche, New York for $21 million and Charlie Kaufman’s directing debut landed a coveted competition slot for the Palme d’Or at Cannes. A few days before its premiere, Sidney Kimmel Entertainment held a private screening for US buyers hoping it would spark a bidding war, but they all held off until reviews would post after its official screening. The film left Cannes without a buyer. Three months later in August 2008, Sony Pictures Classics acquired the US rights for no money, but would give SKE a portion of the revenue of the gross. Sony had little to no exposure on Synecdoche, NY and it never expanded beyond 119 theaters and grossed $3,083,538. Sony and SKE would see back about about $1.7 million after theaters take their percentage of the gross. The film had a limited release overseas to $1.3 million across multiple distributors and went straight to video in Germany and Spain. Its box office failure, along with Kimmel Entertainment’s Kite Runner, United 93 and Lars and the Real Girl, led to their marketing department being shut down and the company restructured as producing more commercially friendly films.