A decade has passed since directorDamien Chazelleburst onto the scene with his sophomore feature,Whiplash. To commemorate the anniversary, the film was re-released in 695 domestic theaters this weekend,grossing a solid $578,000 across three daysand registering a per-theater average of over $800. StarringMiles TellerandJ.K. Simmonsin the lead roles,Whiplashtells the intense story of a young jazz drummer and his exacting teacher who collide at an exclusive conservatory in New York. The movie is widely regarded as a modern classic.
Whiplashemerged as a hit in its original release, grossing around $50 million worldwide against a reported budget of just over $3 million.Whiplashwas based on Chazelle’s short film of the same name, which he directed as a proof-of-concept to get funding for the feature. The psychological dramapremiered at the Sundance Film Festival, where itwon the Audience Award and Grand Jury Prizefor drama. Itwent on to win Academy Awardsin the Best Sound Mixing and Best Film Editing categories, and more notably, in the Best Supporting Actor category for Simmons,who swept the awards season that year.Whiplashalso earned a Best Picture nod and a Best Adapted Screenplay nomination for Chazelle.
The filmmaker achieved greater heights with his follow-up featureLa La Land, starringRyan GoslingandEmma Stone. The musical drama grossed over $470 million worldwide and earned a record-tying 14 nominations at the Oscars;Chazelle went on to become the youngest-ever winner of the Best Director honor. However, his subsequent two releases — the biopicFirst Man, and the period epicBabylon— both under-performed at the box office. The latter also proved to be his most divisive film yet, in addition to being his biggest flop.
The year 2024 has been replete with re-releases. Many major franchise films celebrated important milestones in theaters —The MummyandStar Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menaceturned 25,Shrek 2turned 20,Alienturned 45, and more recently,Coralinecelebrated its 15th anniversary with record numbers. Elsewhere, A24 re-released some of its most acclaimed hits —Uncut Gems,Hereditary,Ex Machina— in IMAX theaters to coincide with the debut of its hit filmCivil War.
TheWhiplashre-release is beingpresented in a new 4K DCP; the film wasrecently screened at the Toronto International Film Festivalas well. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
In Whiplash, a talented young drummer is pushed to his limits by a demanding instructor as he strives for musical perfection. This intense pursuit challenges his dedication and mental fortitude, forcing him to confront personal ambitions and the sacrifices required to achieve greatness in the world of music.
