Limited release movies that got the widest expansion
Limited release movies that got the widest expansion
By definition, a movie is given a limited release when it rolls out in fewer than 600 theaters.
The strategy is most commonly applied to festival favorites, independent films, and documentaries—all of which are more likely to draw a crowd in select markets such as Los Angeles and New York. Should the critical response be positive, the ticket sales lucrative, or both the studio proceeds accordingly with a nationwide expansion.
The limited release strategy isn't solely employed as a means to gauge audience interest, however. Alternatively (or concurrently), the studio might release a film in select theaters during the months of November or December to qualify it for an upcoming awards season— namely the Oscars. In many of these cases, the studio planned from the start to take a film nationwide after the holidays.
Plenty of well-known classics rolled out in limited release and went on to earn big bucks and major recognition. To identify them, Stacker analyzed data from The Numbers (as of December 2024) to rank the 30 movies that were initially given a limited release and eventually gained the widest expansion. To qualify, the film had to open in fewer than 600 theaters and could not have expanded by more than 1,000 theaters in one week. Expansion was determined by the largest number of theaters the film was in, minus the initial number of theaters the film opened in. Movies released prior to 1995 or exclusively in IMAX were not considered.
An honorable mention goes to the 2024 release "Anora," which would be #31 on this list. The film, written and directed by Sean Baker, centers on the eponymous exotic dancer (Mikey Madison), who spontaneously marries her client, Vanya Zakharov (Mark Eydelshteyn), the son of a Russian oligarch. It won the Palme d'Or at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, is up for five Golden Globes, is generating tons of Oscars buzz, and has been performing well at the box office—so it's possible "Anora" will make it to more theaters (and to this list) in 2025.
But for now, check out the 30 films that gained the widest expansion.
#30. 'Lady Bird' (2017)
- Expansion: 1,553
- Opening theaters: 4
- Highest theater count: 1,557
- Domestic box office: $49 million
Greta Gerwig's coming-of-age dramedy broke a specialty box office record upon its limited release and became one of the best-reviewed films in recent history.
With instant critical and commercial success came a gradual expansion into nationwide theaters, along with five Oscar nominations. It tells the story of an eccentric teen (Saoirse Ronan) during her eventful senior year at a Catholic high school.
#29. 'Howl's Moving Castle' (2005)
-Expansion: 1,556
-Opening theaters: 36
-Highest theater count: 1,592
-Domestic box office: $7.1 million
This 2005 movie, written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, came from the filmmaker's rage about the war in Iraq. The film—which is "Hauru no ugoku shiro" in Japanese—centers on Sophie (voiced by Emily Mortimer), a milliner inspired by a wizard named Howl (voiced by Christian Bale) to join his resistance to the draft. But one day, Sophie is cursed by a witch in her shop and becomes an elderly woman, which sets her and Howl on a series of adventures. Critics largely raved about this Miyazaki anime, with Anthony Lane of The New Yorker calling it "a richly inventive and enchanting delight."
#28. 'Moonlight' (2016)
- Expansion: 1,560
- Opening theaters: 4
- Highest theater count: 1,564
- Domestic box office: $27.9 million
Hailed as "a masterpiece of poetic filmmaking," by critic E. Oliver Whitney at ScreenCrush, the second feature film from director Barry Jenkins follows a young, gay Black man through a series of life-changing events.
It premiered at major film festivals before opening in four theaters and then expanded over the course of several months. Three Academy Awards would follow, including a Best Picture win that followed a particularly memorable envelope mix-up at the Oscars.
#27. 'Silence' (2016)
- Expansion: 1,576
- Opening theaters: 4
- Highest theater count: 1,580
- Domestic box office: $7.1 million
Against the backdrop of 17th century Japan, two Portuguese missionaries (Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver) embark on a perilous search for their missing mentor (Liam Neeson). Director Martin Scorsese's passion project was conceived nearly 30 years before its world premiere in Rome, which was followed by a screening at the Vatican. It rolled into limited theaters in late December and went wide nearly a month later.
#26. 'Little Miss Sunshine' (2006)
- Expansion: 1,595
- Opening theaters: 7
- Highest theater count: 1,602
- Domestic box office: $59.9 million
This indie classic sparked an intense bidding war at the Sundance Film Festival and cracked the domestic box office top 10 when still in limited release. It maxed out at 1,602 theaters and peaked at #3 at the domestic box office. Brought to life by a talented ensemble cast, it follows the quirky Hoover family on a road trip to watch their youngest enter the "Little Miss Sunshine" beauty pageant.
#25. 'In Love and War' (1996)
- Expansion: 1,611
- Opening theaters: 1
- Highest theater count: 1,612
- Domestic box office: $14.5 million
Richard Attenborough directed this now nearly forgotten romantic drama, loosely inspired by the real-life experiences of author Ernest Hemingway. It stars Chris O'Donnell as Hemingway himself, who falls in love with a nurse (Sandra Bullock) during World War I. Just over a month after its limited release, the film opened nationwide and took #2 at the domestic box office.
#24. 'There Will Be Blood' (2007)
- Expansion: 1,618
- Opening theaters: 2
- Highest theater count: 1,620
- Domestic box office: $40.2 million
Daniel Day-Lewis delivers an Oscar-winning performance as ruthless oilman Daniel Plainview in what The New Yorker called "an enthralling and powerfully eccentric American epic." It takes place at the turn of the 20th century and grapples with themes of greed and exploitation. A limited theatrical release and various festival screenings were followed by a nationwide run in early 2008.
#23. 'Mr. Holland's Opus' (1995)
- Expansion: 1,658
- Opening theaters: 1
- Highest theater count: 1,659
- Domestic box office: $82.6 million
This saccharine drama stars Richard Dreyfuss as the title character, a struggling composer turned high school music teacher. It squeezed in a limited release at the tail end of December, presumably to qualify for that year's Academy Awards. While it received mixed reviews critically, it was a box office darling and earned Dreyfuss an Oscar nomination for Best Actor.
#22. 'The Whale' (2022)
-Expansion: 1,715
-Opening theaters: 6
-Highest theater count: 1,721
-Domestic box office: $17.5 million
"The Whale" marked a monumental comeback for star Brendan Fraser, who had been largely absent from Hollywood for more than a decade prior. In its initial limited run, "The Whale" sold out screenings at all six of its opening weekend theaters and eventually became the highest-grossing limited release of 2022. Months later, Fraser landed the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in the film.
#21. 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri' (2017)
- Expansion: 1,722
- Opening theaters: 4
- Highest theater count: 1,726
- Domestic box office: $54.5 million
Director Martin McDonagh took inspiration from real-life events when crafting this dark comedy, which went on to win two Academy Awards for actors Frances McDormand and Sam Rockwell. It tells the story of a determined mother (McDormand), who publicly chastises the police over their failure to solve her daughter's murder. Fox Searchlight Pictures took the film nationwide three weeks after its limited release.
#20. 'Darkest Hour' (2017)
- Expansion: 1,729
- Opening theaters: 4
- Highest theater count: 1,733
- Domestic box office: $56.4 million
This historical drama chronicles Winston Churchill's fateful decision-making at the height of World War II. Gary Oldman anchors the film with his Oscar-winning performance as the British prime minister. It earned a high per-theater average during its limited release on Nov. 22, 2017, going wide precisely one month later.
#19. 'The Cider House Rules' (1999)
- Expansion: 1,730
- Opening theaters: 8
- Highest theater count: 1,738
- Domestic box office: $57.5 million
Here is yet another example of a film being given a limited December release so as to presumably qualify for awards season. The effort paid off with Oscar wins for Best Supporting Actor (Michael Caine) and Best Adapted Screenplay (John Irving, who adapted his own novel of the same name). It tells the story of orphan Homer Wells (Tobey Maguire), who returns to the place of his upbringing, an orphanage, during WWII.
#18. 'The Artist' (2011)
- Expansion: 1,752
- Opening theaters: 4
- Highest theater count: 1,756
- Domestic box office: $44.7 million
This Oscar-winning French dramedy pays homage to Hollywood's silent era through story and presentation alike. As the talkie format looms, a waning star (Jean Dujardin) becomes the mentor to a rising talent (Bérénice Bejo). It was re-released nationwide after winning multiple Golden Globes, just over two months out from its initial limited run.
#17. 'Sideways' (2004)
- Expansion: 1,783
- Opening theaters: 4
- Highest theater count: 1,787
- Domestic box office: $71.5 million
Alexander Payne's Oscar-winning dramedy follows a struggling writer (Paul Giamatti) and his friend (Thomas Haden Church) through California wine country. More than a surprise hit, the film made a notable impact on the domestic wine industry. It premiered at the Toronto Film Festival and went wide over a month later, eventually making just under $110 million at the global box office.
#16. 'Lion' (2016)
- Expansion: 1,798
- Opening theaters: 4
- Highest theater count: 1,802
- Domestic box office: $51.7 million
The feature debut from Aussie director Garth Davis made its way through the international festival circuit before arriving on domestic screens. It tells the real-life story of Saroo Brierley (played by Dev Patel), an Indian man adopted as a child who searches for his biological parents after 25 years of separation. With over $140 million in worldwide box office receipts, it's one of the highest-grossing Australian films of all time.
#15. 'Bottoms' (2023)
-Expansion: 1,805
-Opening theaters: 10
-Highest theater count: 1,815
-Domestic box office: $12 million
After Ayo Edebiri became a breakout star on FX's "The Bear," it's little wonder that her ensuing projects have enjoyed so much success. "Bottoms," which sees Edebiri paired with "Shiva Baby" star Rachel Sennott, made millions at the box office and landed a Critics Choice Award nomination. That's no small feat for an R-rated teen comedy about two queer high school students who start a fight club.
#14. 'American Fiction' (2023)
-Expansion: 1,895
-Opening theaters: 7
-Highest theater count: 1,902
-Domestic box office: $21.1 million
Director Cord Jefferson struck a nerve with his debut feature "American Fiction," a razor-sharp race satire based on Percival Everett's novel "Erasure." It stars Jeffrey Wright as an author and college professor who becomes an overnight success after pseudonymously publishing a book about the Black experience. The movie garnered a coveted Academy Award nomination for Best Picture just a few months after its wide release in December 2023 and eventually won the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar.
#13. 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding' (2002)
- Expansion: 1,908
- Opening theaters: 108
- Highest theater count: 2,016
- Domestic box office: $241.4 million
Writer and star Nia Vardalos originally performed this indie comedy as a one-woman show based on her family's hilarious stories. With backing from producing couple Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson came the feature film adaptation. Released in limited theaters in April 2002, it went wide over the summer and became a cultural smash, garnering an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay the following year.
#12. 'Parasite' (2019)
- Expansion: 1,998
- Opening theaters: 3
- Highest theater count: 2,001
- Domestic box office: $53.4 million
Bong Joon-ho's pitch-black dramedy layers socioeconomic themes within a tapestry of unexpected plot twists. When a lower-class family ingratiates itself into an upper-class household, several shocking events unfold. It premiered at Cannes and gradually expanded around the world, going on to become the first-ever fully non-English-language film to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards.
#11. 'No Country for Old Men' (2007)
- Expansion: 2,009
- Opening theaters: 28
- Highest theater count: 2,037
- Domestic box office: $74.3 million
This Coen brothers classic offers a faithful adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's violent neo-Western novel. Upon his discovery of $2 million in drug money, a Texan man (Josh Brolin) must flee from a deadly psychopath (Javier Bardem). It expanded from 28 theaters to a peak of 2,037 theaters in one month and won four Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
#10. 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' (2000)
- Expansion: 2,011
- Opening theaters: 16
- Highest theater count: 2,027
- Domestic box office: $128.5 million
Director Ang Lee returned to his Chinese roots with this award-winning martial arts action film, where various warriors square off over a powerful sword. It is set during the 19th-century Qing dynasty and features stunning fight choreography from action master Woo-Ping Yuen. Following its limited release was a lucrative four-month theatrical run and four Oscar wins, including for Best Foreign Language Film.
#9. '2016: Obama's America' (2012)
- Expansion: 2,016
- Opening theaters: 1
- Highest theater count: 2,017
- Domestic box office: $33.3 million
Controversial conservative pundit and filmmaker Dinesh D'Souza paints a bleak and hypothetical portrait of America in this political documentary. It chronicles President Obama's upbringing and imagines a disastrous outcome upon his reelection. Expanding from a single theater in Houston, it became the year's highest-grossing documentary.
#8. 'Brokeback Mountain' (2005)
- Expansion: 2,084
- Opening theaters: 5
- Highest theater count: 2,089
- Domestic box office: $83 million
Two shepherds (Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal), both married to women, explore a complex sexual and romantic relationship with each other in the 1960s in this acclaimed Western drama. It screened at several major festivals before opening in a limited number of theaters in early December, then gradually went wide. Three Academy Awards followed, including Best Director for Ang Lee.
#7. 'Poor Things' (2023)
- Expansion: 2,291
- Opening theaters: 9
- Highest theater count: 2,300
- Domestic box office: $34.6 million
Starring Emma Stone as a woman brought back to life in a mystical, steampunk-esque world, Yorgos Lanthimos' surreal drama "Poor Things" became an unexpected hit in 2023. The film pulled in $644,000 across less than 10 theaters in its opening weekend, becoming the year's third highest-grossing limited release. Despite its delayed opening due to the SAG-AFTRA strikes, "Poor Things" went on to an even more impressive wide showing and won Stone an Academy Award for Best Actress.
#6. 'Gosford Park' (2001)
- Expansion: 2,308
- Opening theaters: 9
- Highest theater count: 2,317
- Domestic box office: $41.3 million
From director Robert Altman comes this ensemble dramedy with themes of class status and a murder mystery at its center. The story takes place at a lavish party in the 1930s and turns entitled guests and various servants into suspects. Like so many Oscar hopefuls (the film went on to win the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay), this one rolled into limited theaters in December and went wide a month later.
#5. 'Black Swan' (2010)
- Expansion: 2,389
- Opening theaters: 18
- Highest theater count: 2,407
- Domestic box office: $107 million
A shy but ambitious ballerina (Natalie Portman) loses her grip on reality in this harrowing psychological thriller. It premiered at the Venice Film Festival to rapturous applause and later earned a high per-theater average during limited release. With subsequent expansions both domestically and abroad, it racked up a worldwide box office haul of over $329 million, and Portman picked up an Oscar for her performance.
#4. 'The Imitation Game' (2014)
- Expansion: 2,398
- Opening theaters: 4
- Highest theater count: 2,402
- Domestic box office: $91.1 million
Math genius Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch) tackles the German Enigma code and helps pave the way for modern computing in this WWII drama. It was privately screened for tech honchos such as Mark Zuckerberg before arriving in limited theaters, then going wide on Christmas Day. Nominated for eight Academy Awards, it won for Best Adapted Screenplay.
#3. 'Juno' (2007)
- Expansion: 2,527
- Opening theaters: 7
- Highest theater count: 2,534
- Domestic box office: $143.5 million
This coming-of-age dramedy was such a festival darling that its limited release was pushed up by 10 days from its original date. By the time it went wide on Christmas Day, the film had nearly recouped its entire $6.5 million budget and won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. Elliot Page plays the title character, who grapples with an unexpected pregnancy while still in high school.
#2. 'The King's Speech' (2010)
- Expansion: 2,580
- Opening theaters: 4
- Highest theater count: 2,584
- Domestic box office: $138.8 million
King George VI (Colin Firth) must overcome a speech impediment before leading the British Empire in this historical drama. Its limited opening earned the highest per-screen average of 2010. That gave way to a similarly lucrative nationwide rollout, along with four Academy Awards including Best Picture.
#1. 'Slumdog Millionaire' (2008)
- Expansion: 2,933
- Opening theaters: 10
- Highest theater count: 2,943
- Domestic box office: $141.3 million
Like its nimble protagonist, this sweeping drama overcame various odds on its way to sleeper success—and a whopping eight Oscar wins including Best Picture. It was headed straight to the DVD market when Fox Searchlight and Warner Bros. formed a deal for domestic theatrical distribution. The story follows Jamal Malik (Dev Patel), who draws from life experience while competing on India's version of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?"
Additional writing by Cu Fleshman.
