Smurfs India Box Office Day 1: Rihanna-Voiced Film Opens to a Lukewarm ₹40 Lakh Start

Smurfs, Paramount's most recent animated picture, had a poor opening at the Indian box office despite having voices from international celebrities including Rihanna, James Corden, and John Goodman. In India, the Chris Miller-directed film only made ₹40 lakh on its first day of release, indicating a lacklustre reception from viewers.

Franchise No Longer Drives the Box Office

Despite being a powerful brand in family entertainment, the Smurfs franchise appears to have lost its appeal. In contrast to the 2011 original Smurfs movie, which made over USD 570 million worldwide, and its 2013 follow-up, which made slightly less than USD 400 million, the 2017 release Smurfs: The Lost Village brought in only half of the previous year's total.

The current film seems to be continuing that downward trend, with the studio's lack of confidence evident in the lacklustre buzz and muted marketing. Even internationally, preliminary results suggest that this movie might do worse than The Lost Village.

Negative Outlook Despite the Weekend Setback

Despite the lacklustre opening, Smurfs is anticipated to experience a slight boost in box office receipts over the weekend, as Saturdays often see a regular increase in movie attendance. Nonetheless, industry projections indicate that the film will have difficulty surpassing ₹3 crore net during its whole run in India.

Paramount's Next Move?

With the franchise clearly past its prime and audiences not responding enthusiastically, Paramount might need to rethink its strategy. A potential rebranding or crossover with other animated properties could help revive interest in future installments.

Smurfs Now Playing

Smurfs is currently showing in theatres across India. Stay tuned for further updates on its box office performance and critical reception.