(The figures in this article are for reference and may differ due to the deal levels between the production houses and cinemas)
Bo Tu Bao Thu can be considered a significant breakthrough in the Tet film industry of Tran Thanh, as it has garnered a remarkable revenue of 311 billion VND – a staggering number that many Vietnamese filmmakers are envious of. The ability to surpass the revenue from previous works of Tran Thanh is undeniable; however, Bo Tu Bao Thu still plays a crucial role in helping him navigate the complexities of the Vietnamese film market, increasing the total revenue from Tran Thanh’s four films to 1,733 billion VND. Specifically, the revenues include Mai, which made 520 billion VND (only calculated in Vietnam), Be Giang at 427 billion VND, Nha Ba Nu at 475 billion VND, and Bo Tu Bao Thu at 311 billion VND (as of February 13).
The revenue figures are astonishing, especially for just four films. The amount Tran Thanh earns from this venture raises many eyebrows. The actual number, over 1,700 billion VND, only reflects the gross when he has to deal with numerous costs such as VAT, cinema rental fees, and production investments.
The production house Cao Tung shared: “Currently, cinemas are also distribution houses. When negotiating with cinemas, filmmakers encounter various issues, such as the rental having a considerable customer base. Currently, CGV and Galaxy appear to be the most dominant, having the rights to dictate a better profit-sharing ratio for cinemas, possibly up to 55% for the first week, 50% for the second week, and 45% for the third week.”
According to this producer, the costs that Tran Thanh has to bear (excluding initial investment) include:
- – A total revenue must bear 8% VAT.
- – Distribution fees can be calculated in two ways: 4-5% of total revenue or 8-10% of total revenue after rental expenses. After this deduction, the remaining amount is split between the cinema and the production house.
- – The distribution fee will take 8-10% of the remaining revenue of the production house.
If calculated by this formula, the amount Tran Thanh receives after four films, as of the current time, would be:
- – 1,733 billion VND minus 8% VAT equals 1,594.3 billion VND
- – 1,594.3 billion VND minus approximately 5% general distribution fee equals 1,514 billion VND
- – The cinema takes a share of 757.3 billion VND
- – After the 8% distribution fee, the remaining amount is 696.7 billion VND
As of now, Tran Thanh has not yet divided the production costs of Bo Tu Bao Thu with his partners. However, Quoc Anh – the male lead of the film – has indicated that he feels considerable pressure when Tran Thanh mentions that the production costs could reach up to 40 – 50 billion VND. If we use the figure of 50 billion VND, combined with the investments from previous films (which were 20 billion VND, 35 billion VND, and 50 billion VND), Tran Thanh has invested up to 155 billion VND for his three projects. This means that his earnings could be as low as 541.7 billion VND.
Indeed, these figures are only for reference, as the way Tran Thanh and the distribution houses share profits after each Tet film may vary. Nevertheless, an amount exceeding 500 billion VND in profit after just four projects remains a significant feat for any production house. This is largely due to Tran Thanh’s consistent reinvestment for films that follow rather than the previous ones. Currently, after Bo Tu Bao Thu has stirred controversy, Tran Thanh is also continuously striving to return with a more spectacular project in the Tet 2026 season, ensuring that the audience will not be disappointed.
