Netflix Breaks Tradition With First-Ever Box Office Report After Historic Debut

Festival season is well underway, and the long-awaited debuts of Oscar hopefuls have set Academy conversations alight. Across social media, many are already submitting predictions for who might walk out of the 99th Academy Awards victorious. Some of the favorites include writer-director Cristian Mungiu's second Palme d'Or winner Fjord, Christopher Nolan's epic adaptation of Homer's The Odyssey, the Andrew Scott-led Elsinore, and Martin McDonagh's Wild Horse Nine.

One of the underdogs heading into Oscar season that continues to gather pace is Olivia Wilde's The Invite, a remake of the Spanish-language feature The People Upstairs. All four of the film's main cast are touted for some sort of awards recognition, including Penélope Cruz, although this isn't her best chance at a Golden Statue. That would go to La Bola Negra, filmmaking duo Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi's ambitious drama based on the unfinished work of the same name.

Cruz is one of many who have received widespread praise for their performances in the film, following its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. Before the film makes it to global screens, it is already helping make history. This past weekend, La Bola Negra earned $277,500 in just four theaters, averaging $69,375 per location. The second-highest screen average ever for a non-English language film, with Parasite in first, this haul was so impressive it encouraged Netflix to report a box office gross for the first time ever. A logline for the movie reads:

"La Bola Negra tells the story of three men whose lives are intimately connected through desire, pain and inheritance, across three different eras -- 1932, 1937, and 2017."

What Have Critics Said About 'La Bola Negra'?

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As a favorite for next year's Oscars, you won't be surprised to learn that critics have so far heaped praise on La Bola Negra. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the movie boasts an impressive, "certified fresh" 87% score. New York Times critic Alissa Wilkinson praised Carlos González's performance for having "a magnetism that makes the story’s improbable circumstances feel real and alive." The Guardian's Peter Bradshaw called the film "handsomely produced, lovingly detailed and confidently constructed," whilst others have predicted it to take home the Best Picture prize.