A New Kind of Box Office Hit
It seems that a dog might be leading the way to box office success. IFC has decided to expand the theatrical run of Ben Leonberg’s SXSW hit, "Good Boy," from a limited release to a full wide release on October 3. This 72-minute horror film is unique in that it's told entirely from the perspective of a dog. The movie features Leonberg's Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, Indy, who plays the lead role.
The exact number of screens for the wide release is still being finalized, but IFC is confident in the film’s potential to attract a broad audience. This move follows the success of several other recent releases from the company, proving that there is an appetite for unconventional storytelling.
Rebranding and Expansion
Rebranded as Independent Film Company (IFC) earlier this year, the company is now positioned to capitalize on its latest success. Since the release of the film’s trailer on August 18, it has garnered over one million views, with an additional 1.5 million views on IGN’s account.
Interestingly, searches for "Does the dog in Good Boy die?" have spiked by more than 2,000 percent since the trailer dropped. This indicates a growing curiosity around the film's plot and character development.
Scott Shooman, head of IFC Entertainment Group, which oversees IFC, Shudder, and RLJE Films, shared his thoughts on the film’s potential. “We're a bespoke company and we really pay attention to what people want to see,” he said. “Last year was our second-best theatrical year ever, and we want to continue that. We see an opportunity as the studios are moving to three- and four-quadrant business for the indies to try and find interesting, noisy product and try to make it as big as possible.”
Following in the Footsteps of Success
"Good Boy" is following in the footsteps of previous IFC hits such as "Late Night with the Devil" and "In a Violent Nature." Both films reached around 1,400 screens in 2024, grossing $10 million and $4.2 million respectively. These movies rank #4 and #16 on the list of highest-grossing films in IFC's history.
The top spot on that list is held by 2002's "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," which grossed an impressive $241 million. However, Shooman noted that it's not considered a true IFC film because it only handled distribution in a service deal. Instead, the second title on the list, Richard Linklater's "Boyhood," with its $25 million gross, is seen as IFC's biggest hit.
Changes in Leadership and Strategy
After former president Arianna Bocco left the company in March 2023, Shooman took over shortly after. One of his key decisions was to sunset IFC Midnight, the genre imprint, in favor of Shudder, the company's streamer, which now represents all of IFC's horror content. "Good Boy" will bear both the IFC and Shudder logos, though its streaming date remains TBD.
"We have different windows for different types of films, and we're working on that for 'Good Boy' as we speak," Shooman explained. "We never want to pre-announce a date prematurely. What we can say is we hope everyone sees it in theaters on October 3rd, and that's really where we're pointing people right now."
A Unique Approach to Horror
"Good Boy" may follow in the footsteps of R-rated films like "Late Night with the Devil" and the unrated "In a Violent Nature," but it also offers something different. It is rated PG-13, making it accessible to a wider audience. "I don't think there's any age limit on loving dogs," Shooman said.
Shooman is confident that audiences will be captivated by how Leonberg made the film. "It's exactly the story of how you'd want an independent movie to have come together," he said. "Ben made it with his own dog. This is his dog! This is not a stage dog, and it's just like this is the magic and why we all got into this business."
Final Thoughts
"Good Boy" is set to release in theaters from IFC on Friday, October 3. As the film makes its debut, it continues to showcase the evolving landscape of independent cinema and the potential for unconventional stories to capture the hearts of audiences.
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