"2016: Obama's America" expanding into 1,800 theaters

By Todd Cunningham | Reuters

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - "2016: Obama's America," the right-wing documentary that has rocked the box office with its challenge to the president's record, will expand to about 1,800 theaters on Friday, Rocky Mountain Pictures told TheWrap Monday night.

That's up from the 1,091 theaters it played in over the weekend, when it took in $6.2 million between Friday and Sunday for a per-screen average of $5,940 - the best of any film in wide release. It added another $1.2 million at the box office Monday.

Produced for roughly $2.1 million, the film - with its catchphrase, "Love Him. Hate Him. You Don't Know Him" - has made $10.3 million since its release seven weeks ago and has surpassed "Bully" as the year's top-earning documentary.

The expansion will surely benefit from the buzz surrounding the ongoing Republican National Convention. Part of it will target the Heartland, a primary focus of the long-term rollout strategy according to MJM Entertainment's Mark Joseph, who is handling the film's marketing with co-director John Sullivan.

Theaters also will be added in New York, Portland, Los Angeles, Boston, Austin, Tex., and San Francisco. Joseph was still analyzing Monday's box-office numbers and said the expansion count remained fluid.

Based on conservative author Dinesh D'Souza's book, "The Roots of Obama's Rage," the documentary purports to show what the nation will be like should President Obama be re-elected, and includes an interview with the president's half brother, George Obama.

Co-directors Sullivan and D'Souza, along with producers Gerald Molen and Doug Sain, are in Tampa, Fla., for the GOP gathering.

For information on how to book Dinesh D'Souza for your next event, visit PremiereSpeakers.com/Dinesh_Dsouza.

Trailer for '2016 Obama's America':