🍿 Shadow Distribution in Russia Gains Momentum Once Again
The Russian theatrical box office is showing a noticeable surge. The combined weekend gross of the top 20 films in Russia reached 647 million rubles (rising to 693 million rubles when including the CIS region). This represents a 7.2% increase compared to the previous week and nearly a 20% jump over the same period in 2025.
Meanwhile, the discrepancy between official figures from the Unified Federal Automated Information System (EAIS) and confirmed distributor reports widened to 135.5 million rubles (+18.6% week-over-week). Industry experts attribute this gap to the shadow sector of “unofficial screenings,” where the latest Resident Evil video game adaptation remains the primary driver.
Among official releases, the standout performer of the weekend was the animated feature The Adventures of the Little Mammoth: In Search of Mom. Delivering the best non-holiday launch of the year for distributor NMG Film Distribution, the movie earned 99.1 million rubles from 243,000 attendees, edging out the animated title Luntik: The Other Side of the Moon (93.3 million rubles).
Executives at Bazelevs highlighted that the campaign relied on a timeless brand and intergenerational emotional resonance, noting that the iconic “Little Mammoth’s Song” served as a universally recognizable cultural touchstone.
Other key weekend highlights include:
- Sci-Fi and Fairytales: Domestic sci-fi feature The Ninth Planet added 107 million rubles in its second weekend (bringing its total to 281.5 million rubles) while achieving the lowest holdover drop in the top 10 (-19.6%). Meanwhile, the fairytale comedy Princess Unsmiling opened in fourth place with 75.8 million rubles and 179,000 admissions.
- Strong Holdovers: Thriller Fall 2 added 71.6 million rubles to bring its total to 200 million, while recording the highest seat occupancy rate in the top 10 at an average of 15 viewers per screening.
- Re-releases and Historical Drama: The theatrical re-release of Twilight crossed the 382 million ruble mark, closing in on the lifetime box office of Titanic 3D (384 million rubles). In the historical segment, the period drama The Romanovs: Loyalty and Betrayal delivered the most resilient performance in its category with a minimal decline of just 19.4%, reaching a two-week cumulative total of 75.3 million rubles.
Overall, the Russian box office is demonstrating strong resilience through a synergy of nostalgic family entertainment, durable genre releases, and sustained demand for alternative shadow repertoire.
Source: Kinometro
