
Django Unchained opened in 54 international locations over the weekend, earning the most in Germany, followed by France. It outdid Inglourious Basterds‘ opening by 30 percent, “despite snowy conditions throughout most of Europe this weekend,” according to Variety. It did well everywhere, but in Russia, Django played second fiddle to an unlikely competitor: Hansel and Gretel Witch Hunters. …Yeah, I don’t know either, dude.
“Django” lost to Paramount’s early bow of “Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters,” grossing $7.3 million, 98% from 3D.
Man, Russians are f*cking weird. Or at least, they must really be impressed with 3D over there. Or maybe they just wanted to lord it over us that they finally got something before we did, in a place where dudes in mullets still go to clubs to rock out to Duran Duran songs.
I haven’t seen Hansel and Gretel Witch Hunters yet (it opens Friday and my press screening is Thursday night, which should tell you something), but it’s generally a bad sign when your movie is called “Hansel and Gretel Witch Hunters” and the first line of the trailer is “my name is Gretel and this is my brother Hansel.” As if there’s someone sitting on their couch going “Wait, Hansel and Gretel Witch Hunters is about Hansel and Gretel?! WELL THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING!”
I see no one learned from John Carter or Jack Reacher marketing. If there’s one thing Hollywood’s good at, it’s not learning lessons.
Is it just me, or is Gemma Arterton’s nasally voice like fingernails on a chalkboard?



What are the odds that their last name is ‘Van Helsing’?
Russia is notoriously, stupendously racist.
This. I can’t see many of them identifying with Jamie Foxx’s character.
I think you can classify everywhere as notoriously, stupendously racist.
@Eddie Baby, touche. But currently they’re stupendously racist as well.
OR…Spike Lee has HUGE influence in Russia.
Weighing the respective likelihoods of those two alternatives…OK, yeah, Russia is racist.
I imagine the Russian trailer for Django Unchained had a Borat-esque voice over saying “Real life chocolate face!”
Russians are pretty racist when it comes to darker skinned folks. And at the same time they believe just about every stupid witch/superstition known. Not surprising that the Hansel & Gretel film did relatively well there.
@Torgo, I was thinking the same thing. Witch movies in Russia are probably a lot like shark movies in beach-side communities; they just hit a little to close to home.
It’s also a homophobic country, but apparently that didn’t stop it’s population from enjoying Hansel and Gretel.
What can I say? Russians like German storytelling. Hansel & Gretel, Cinderella, Snow White, Mein Kampf, etc…
Of course H&G beat Django in Russia. The Russians are almost as extremely racist as the Chinese.
A winter wedding in St. Petersburg. That has “shotgun” written all over it.
Is it a wedding, or is it just those people dressed like kings and queens who walk around the palace taking pictures with people? I definitely saw the bear guy when I was there.
Russkie newlyweds usually go to the nearest landmark to take pictures. I saw a bunch of them right there when I visited St. Pete’s (it was in Summer though).
Well since it’s Russia, it may be more of a “sniper” wedding. Classier that way. The red dot stays on your forehead until you say I do.
As best as I can figure, in Russian “Witch” and “Capitalist” are very similar sounding words.
I was quite stunned when looking for Django tickets here in Denmark to see that all the cinemas are sticking it in their small shitty screens. Seems like they have 0 faith in the movie and won’t even give it a proper chance. I refuse to what amounts to around $19 (standard movie price here for a long movie) to go sit in a shitty small room. Since Django is already old news, I guess I can wait for Blu-ray at this point. UGH!
TLDR: They are not giving Django a proper international release – first the insane delay and now they are just sneaking it into theaters instead of marketing it proper.
*refuse to pay* aargh
In Russia, Tarantino’s coke dick worships you.