The Christmas cinema schedule is already becoming a point of negotiation for distributors. Shah Rukh Khan’s King is reportedly seeking priority over Avengers: Doomsday, Dune and Jumanji combined as plans take shape for its December 24 release.
Pen Marudhar has reportedly approached exhibitors about securing an extensive release for King. The proposed strategy would give the Hindi film a larger share of screens than the three Hollywood titles together during the holiday period.
Disney, meanwhile, is said to have begun booking Indian screens for Avengers: Doomsday. Its discussions reportedly include contracts guaranteeing a specified number of shows on Christmas Day, even though the superhero film is scheduled to open on December 17.
That puts exhibitors in the middle of competing requests. They are reportedly working out how to accommodate the Hollywood release while responding to the push for a wide rollout of Shah Rukh’s film.
For now, the developments concern screen-sharing discussions rather than confirmed allocations. With the two films arriving a week apart, Christmas shows remain central to the negotiations.