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The 2008 vampire romance ‘Twilight’ was Russia’s highest-grossing film in September, earning 340 million rubles. It outperformed new domestic releases, marking the first time an older film topped the monthly box office since data tracking began in 2015. Social media buzz and younger audiences drove the unexpected rerelease success.
The 2008 vampire romance “Twilight” became Russia’s highest-grossing movie in September, according to RBC. The first installment in the saga, starring Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, returned to Russian theaters on September 17 and earned 340 million rubles. This rerelease outperformed new domestic films, marking a historic first for the Russian box office since unified data tracking began in 2015.
According to data from the Russian Cinema Fund’s Unified Automated Information System (EAIS), cited by RBC, “Twilight” surpassed new releases “Kak Ivan v skazku popal” (“How Ivan Ended Up in a Fairy Tale”), which earned 296 million rubles, and “Devyataya planeta” (“The Ninth Planet”), which took in 183 million rubles. This is the first time an older film has topped the monthly box office in the system’s history.
Maria Shcherbal, director of the research firm Wanta Group, noted that word of mouth played a significant role in the film’s resurgence. In the second week of the rerelease, 36% of viewers heard about the film on social media, while 29% heard about it from friends and acquaintances. Shcherbal stated that one in five viewers cited recommendations as a reason for attending the screening.
The demographic driving this success was notably young. Shcherbal told RBC that nearly half of the audience for the rerelease was between 18 and 24 years old. This suggests that the original fanbase, now in their thirties, was joined by a new generation discovering the franchise through theatrical exhibition.
Historic Shift in Russian Box Office Trends
The success of “Twilight” signals a break in established patterns for the Russian theatrical market. Since the EAIS began tracking data in 2015, new releases have consistently dominated the monthly top spots. An older film outperforming new domestic productions by a margin of over 40 million rubles indicates a shift in consumer behavior or a gap in the current new release slate that resonated with audiences.
This event highlights the enduring power of nostalgia and the influence of social media on traditional cinema attendance. The fact that social media was the primary discovery channel for a significant portion of the audience suggests that viral marketing can revive interest in legacy content more effectively than traditional advertising for new films.
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Rerelease Strategy and Franchise Continuation
“Twilight” was originally released in 2008 and became a global phenomenon, launching the careers of its leads and spawning a multi-film franchise. The September 17 rerelease was part of a broader strategy to bring the entire saga back to Russian audiences. According to the report, the remaining films in the “Twilight” series are scheduled to return to Russian theaters from October to February.
This rerelease comes amid a broader trend of studios leveraging intellectual property and nostalgia to fill cinema schedules. However, the scale of “Twilight’s” success in Russia, surpassing new local productions, is an outlier compared to typical rerelease performance, which usually garners modest returns.
“Word of mouth played a very big role here: in the second week, 36% of viewers heard about the film on social media, another 29% heard about it from friends and acquaintances, and one in five cited recommendations as one of their reasons for going to the movies.”
— Maria Shcherbal, director of Wanta Group
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Unknown Factors Behind Audience Surge
While the box office figures and demographic data are confirmed by RBC and the EAIS, the underlying reasons for the specific timing of this surge remain unclear. It is not yet known if this success was driven by a specific social media trend, a lack of competitive new releases, or a broader nostalgia cycle affecting other legacy franchises.
Additionally, the long-term impact on the rerelease strategy for other older films in Russia is uncertain. Industry analysts have not yet commented on whether this event will lead to a permanent shift in how Russian cinemas program legacy content versus new productions.
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Upcoming Rereleases for Twilight Saga
The remaining films in the “Twilight” saga are set to return to Russian theaters between October and February. Industry observers will be watching to see if the subsequent installments maintain the same level of interest and revenue as the first film. If the later films perform similarly, it could indicate a sustained demand for the franchise rather than a one-time event.
Distributors may also consider accelerating rereleases of other popular legacy franchises if the “Twilight” series continues to outperform new releases. The performance of the next film in the series will be a key indicator of whether this box office anomaly becomes a new market trend.
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Key Questions
Why did ‘Twilight’ top the box office in Russia?
According to Maria Shcherbal of Wanta Group, word of mouth and social media were the primary drivers. 36% of viewers heard about the rerelease on social media, and 29% heard from friends.
Is this the first time an old film has topped the Russian box office?
Yes, according to RBC and data from the Russian Cinema Fund’s EAIS, this is the first time since 2015 that an older film has topped the monthly box office.
What other films are coming back to Russian theaters?
The rest of the “Twilight” saga will return to Russian theaters from October to February.
How much money did ‘Twilight’ make?
The film grossed 340 million rubles in September, outperforming “How Ivan Ended Up in a Fairy Tale” (296 million rubles) and “The Ninth Planet” (183 million rubles).
Source: rss
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