‘The Beguiled’, ‘The Big Sick’, ‘The Bad Batch’
The summer of 2017 brought a slate of independent releases that moved from festival premieres straight into modest theatrical runs, each carrying distinct tones and ambitions. The Beguiled anchored the group with its period atmosphere, while The Big Sick leaned into contemporary comedy and The Bad Batch tested post-apocalyptic terrain. Together they offered a snapshot of what specialty distributors were betting on that season.
The Beguiled (Focus Features) opened in limited release on June 23, 2017. Sofia Coppola directed the adaptation of Thomas P. Cullinan’s southern gothic novel, placing a wounded Union soldier inside a Virginia girls’ school during the Civil War. The story tracks the sexual tension and shifting power dynamics that follow his arrival. Nicole Kidman, Colin Farrell, Elle Fanning, and Kirsten Dunst led the cast.
Critical Reception and Awards
Coppola won Best Director at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival for The Beguiled, becoming only the second woman to receive the prize. The Big Sick earned AFI Movie of the Year recognition along with Independent Spirit Award nominations for Best Feature and Best Screenplay. The Incredible Jessica James posted an 89 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes, with reviewers highlighting Jessica Williams’s central performance.
Box Office Performance
The Big Sick opened on a $5 million budget and finished with $56.4 million worldwide. The Beguiled carried a $10 million budget and reached $27.9 million globally. The Bad Batch grossed $201,890 after its limited release, reflecting the narrower commercial reach of its dystopian premise.
The Big Sick (Amazon Studios & Lionsgate) also arrived in limited release on June 23, 2017, before expanding wide on July 14. Michael Showalter directed the screenplay drawn from Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon’s real courtship. Nanjiani plays a Pakistan-born stand-up comic navigating family expectations and an unexpected romance with a graduate student played by Zoe Kazan. Holly Hunter and Ray Romano appear in key supporting roles.
Sundance and Festival Buzz
The Big Sick premiered at Sundance on January 20, 2017, where Amazon secured U.S. rights in one of the festival’s largest deals. The Incredible Jessica James also debuted at Sundance that January, prompting Netflix to acquire the title for more than $3 million before its streaming launch.
The Incredible Jessica James (Netflix) reached subscribers on July 28, 2017. Jim Strouse wrote and directed the story of an aspiring playwright in New York still recovering from a breakup. She agrees to a date with a recently divorced man, and the pair test whether connection is possible amid constant social-media scrutiny. Chris O’Dowd, Lakeith Stanfield, and Noël Wells round out the ensemble.
Streaming and Home Release Legacy
The Big Sick has remained available on Prime Video since its initial VOD window. The Incredible Jessica James launched directly on Netflix in July 2017. The Beguiled moved into streaming platforms toward the end of 2018, extending its availability beyond the original theatrical run.
The Bad Batch (Neon) entered limited release on June 23, 2017. Ana Lily Amirpour’s follow-up to A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night follows a young woman exiled to a Texas wasteland populated by cannibals. Suki Waterhouse stars alongside Jason Momoa, Diego Luna, Jim Carrey, and Keanu Reeves.
Cast Career Milestones Since 2017
Kumail Nanjiani built on the visibility from The Big Sick with subsequent comedy leads and voice work. Jessica Williams continued to draw attention for dramatic and comedic roles after the release of The Incredible Jessica James. Colin Farrell and Kirsten Dunst maintained steady feature work, while Elle Fanning moved into higher-profile studio projects.
Hare Krishna! (Abramorama) received a limited theatrical release in mid-June 2017. John Griesser directed the documentary tracing the arrival of Srila Prabhupada in the United States during the 1960s and the cultural movement that followed. The 92-minute film incorporates archival footage from the era of Beatlemania and Haight-Ashbury.
