Black Bear’s “Wicker” Release Seeks a $6 Million–$8 Million Opening

By Marcus Bennett

Black Bear Pictures will release “Wicker” in 1,400 theaters this weekend, with a projected opening of $6 million to $8 million.

The medieval-period romance is a major test for CEO Teddy Schwarzman as he expands Black Bear Pictures into full North American distribution. The company previously worked as a financier, producer, foreign-sales company and UK distributor. Schwarzman, an experienced Blackstone scion, understands the risks inherent in competing in a volatile independent-film market.

A $15 million lesson

Black Bear mounted a full theatrical release for “Christy” despite frosty reviews, backing both its filmmakers and its potential as an Oscar contender. The boxing film stars Sydney Sweeney with her bosom concealed from view. It grossed just under $2 million domestically despite its $15 million price tag.

A year later, Schwarzman reorganized Black Bear’s 65-person staff and executive team. Ben Kramer, a CAA import, left earlier that year. Its release slate mixes critical promise with uneven commercial returns:

• “The Rivals of Amziah King,” a critics’ favorite that failed at the box office.
• “Tuner,” with $9.8 million worldwide.
• “Shelter,” the Jason Statham survival adventure, with $49 million worldwide.
• “In the Grey,” the Jake Gyllenhaal action thriller, with $13.5 million worldwide.
• “Spa Weekend,” with $12 million worldwide.

What does Black Bear’s expansion change for filmmakers?

Black Bear’s expansion changes the scope of its role after a film reaches Sundance. For “Wicker,” it began at the script stage as international sales agent, partnering with financiers Topic and Tango. After seeing how the film played, Black Bear acquired North American distribution rights.

For filmmakers, one company can now connect script-stage sales, festival testing and a wide North American launch. Black Bear also carries more direct responsibility for domestic box-office performance than in its earlier role as foreign-sales agent.

“Wicker” stars Olivia Colman as a spinster fishmonger in a medieval village. She commissions a wicker husband, played by Alexander Skarsgard, who exceeds her romantic fantasies, breaks her bed and upends every marriage.

“What we’ve always tried to do with Black Bear,” said Schwarzman on Zoom, “is find films that are original, or stand out in their genre, have a real vision from a director standpoint, and make you feel in some way. …

We couldn’t find a more original film than ‘Wicker,’ despite the fact that it’s an adapted short story, but the entire conceit was executed near perfection. …

We were blown away that there was something weird and provocative and horny and sexual and ultimately actually incredibly emotional and human.”

Selling the strange and the sensual

Black Bear has hired former Neon executive Bianca Parkes and public-relations veteran Heather Phillips as it assembles a new marketing team around “Wicker.” Parkes brings graphics, strategy, guerrilla marketing, print campaigns and merchandising. Her husband Christian left to found Clockwork at Warner Bros. Phillips has worked on both studio and independent-film sides.

The “Wicker” campaign includes a 6 foot 6 wicker standee and a “dream boyfriend” promotion. The trailer generated 80.3 million views across Black Bear’s owned channels in its first two weeks. Organic viewing supplied 70.5 million, nearly 88 percent of that total. TikTok reactions and user-generated content added 322 million, taking combined exposure above 402 million.

Black Bear treated those figures as evidence of consumer interest, strengthening confidence in the film’s commercial prospects.

Black Bear rejects the criticism that it does not spend, while Schwarzman is considered frugal. The company is spending more now, after learning from Netflix’s handling of “Train Dreams.” Netflix relaunched the Sundance hit with a fresh campaign at fall festivals and produced strong results.

“Wicker” took a selective festival route. It played a selection of fall festivals, skipped Toronto and sold out instantly at Middleburg.

Awards and the next test

Olivia Colman, the Oscar winner for “The Favourite,” is in the Actress conversation, as are the film’s hair and makeup team. Skarsgard imitated Colman’s new hair extensions on the red carpet.

Schwarzman said:

“We are now having a true north of the type of movies that we want to be making and that we want to be releasing, which are filmmaker-centric, original, entertaining, and with some substance to what they are.”

“Wicker” offers that combination in concentrated form: medieval erotic fantasy, strong festival demand and unusually broad online attention. Black Bear is also betting that a sexy escapist fantasy can meet present audience demand.

The projected opening will show whether the distributor can convert that visibility into a repeatable North American release model. That is the practical test of Schwarzman’s filmmaker-centered strategy.