Although Black Panther was recently unseated as the box office king by rival Pacific Rim Uprising, there's another smaller movie that has been doing well with audiences. The romantic flick Love, Simon, has been steadily making money as it tells the coming-out story of teenager Simon Spier. Due to its positive reviews, its message and its story, a lot of celebrities chose to buy out entire showings of Love Simon over the weekend, with celebrities like Neil Patrick Harris, Kristen Bell, Matt Bomer and others all pitching in. Here's what NPH had to say about why he and his husband, David, bought out the film.
So my husband David and I enjoyed Love, Simon so much, we wanted to pay it forward. Others are doing this, and I'm so on board. So we bought out a screening at a theatre in my hometown of Albuquerque, NM for this Sunday afternoon. It's free, and a great chance to see this wonderful film. Hope you can make it!
On Sunday, Neil Patrick Harris and his husband David Burtka bought out a showing of Love, Simon, in Albuquerque at the AMC Albuquerque 12. Per a message on Instagram, the A Series of Unfortunate Events star explained that tickets were first come, first serve and that you had to be present in order to pick the tickets up.
Kristen Bell took a similar tact, buying out a showing of Love, Simon in Minneapolis, Minnesota on Sunday, at the AMC Southdale 16. She said of her decision to buy out a showing:
Love, Simon is a KNOCKOUT. There are so many important stories that don't get made. I am so grateful this one did. ??I had absolutely nothing to do with the making of this movie---I just have a huge crush on it and I'd like to share the love. Minneapolis, please enjoy a screening of Love, Simon this Sunday on me.
Matt Bomer and his husband Simon Halls bought out a screening in Spring, Texas at the AMC Spring 10. Mega producer Greg Berlanti also joined the list of celebrities sharing the movie, buying out screenings on both Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday, he bought out a screening at the Parkway Place Stadium 10 in Flowood, MS. On Sunday, he and his husband Robbie Rogers partnered with LGBTQ groups for a screening in Louisville, Ky.
So far, Love, Simon has made $23 million at the box office. That's less money than Pacific Rim made during its opening weekend, but the small indie flick, which stars Jennifer Garner, Nick Robinson, Josh Duhamel and more, has far less ground to make up. The movie was made on a reported $17 million budget, plus advertising. You can catch it in theaters across the country right now, and if you are still on the fence about whether or not to check out the romance, you can take a look at our full review.
