Elizabeth Holmes Documentary Boosts Viewership for The Dropout by 186%
Audience interest in the Theranos scandal has surged following the record-breaking theatrical debut of the documentary You Can See Everything.
At a glance
- Viewership for Hulu's The Dropout rose 186% in September and jumped another 92% in the days leading up to the documentary's premiere.
- A24's You Can See Everything earned $15 million in North America across 855 screens, marking the best documentary opening in over two decades.
- The renewed attention around Elizabeth Holmes also helped John Carreyrou's 2018 book Bad Blood return to the bestseller list.
The massive box office opening of the Elizabeth Holmes documentary *You Can See Everything* has sparked a sharp resurgence of interest in past media chronicling the Theranos scandal, according to industry data.
Viewership for *The Dropout*, the 2022 Hulu miniseries starring Amanda Seyfried as Holmes, jumped 186% in September compared to August, following the surprise reveal of the documentary's first teaser on September 6. Viewing figures nearly doubled again in mid-October, climbing 92% the week preceding the film's October 16 cinema release. The renewed curiosity also propelled John Carreyrou's 2018 investigative book, *Bad Blood*, back onto the New York Times bestseller list.
Record-Breaking Debut
Directed by Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim and produced by A24, the three-hour documentary collected $15 million across only 855 screens in North America during its opening weekend. The performance marks the highest-grossing opening weekend for a documentary in over twenty years, trailing only 2004's *Fahrenheit 9/11*. It also secured the strongest debut for any release on under 1,000 screens since *Borat* debuted in 2006, selling out an estimated 2,000 screenings.
By Monday, the documentary's ticket sales overtook the video game adaptation *Street Fighter* on domestic box office charts.
Secret Filming and Award Buzz
*You Can See Everything* was filmed secretly in 2023, during the final month before Holmes surrendered to prison to serve an 11-year sentence for fraud. Holmes, who once held a net worth of $4.5 billion as the head of the blood-testing firm, resigned in 2018 after Carreyrou reported that Theranos devices failed to deliver accurate blood test results, causing the business to collapse.
Bolstered by rave reviews, the film holds a 97 on Metacritic and is receiving significant awards consideration. Pundits suggest it could earn a historic Best Picture nomination at the Academy Awards. A24 plans to submit the title across multiple crafts categories, including directing, cinematography, and score, alongside best documentary. Additionally, Seyfried will be campaigned for best supporting actress for her involvement.
The film will broaden its footprint to at least 2,600 domestic screens in its second week before launching internationally in Australia on November 12 and the United Kingdom on November 20.
Source: The Guardian World.
Questions and answers
- How did You Can See Everything impact The Dropout's viewership?
- Hulu's The Dropout saw audience numbers surge by 186% in September following the documentary's initial teaser, followed by another 92% jump the week before its October release.
- How much money did You Can See Everything make during its opening weekend?
- The documentary opened to $15 million across 855 screens in North America, achieving the highest-grossing documentary opening weekend since Fahrenheit 9/11 in 2004.
- When does You Can See Everything release internationally?
- The documentary is scheduled to premiere in Australia on 12 November and in the United Kingdom on 20 November.
