Shah Rukh Khan’s superstardom is already translating into massive numbers for his upcoming film King. Even before its theatrical release, the Siddharth Anand directorial has reportedly secured pre-release deals worth Rs 665 crore, making it one of the biggest commercial ventures in recent Bollywood history. However, with a massive production budget and high distributor expectations, the film has a challenging box-office target to achieve.
King’s Rs 665 crore pre-release business breakdown
According to reports, King has secured impressive deals across theatrical distribution, digital streaming, music and satellite rights. Pinkvilla reported that Pen Marudhar acquired the film’s domestic theatrical distribution rights for Rs 250 crore, while overseas distributor Phars Films reportedly secured the international rights for Rs 175 crore.
The overseas agreement is particularly significant, with Pinkvilla describing it as the “highest-ever overseas minimum guarantee” for an Indian film.
Meanwhile, Netflix has reportedly acquired the digital streaming rights for Rs 150 crore. The music rights have fetched Rs 65 crore, while the satellite rights are valued at Rs 25 crore. Together, these deals take the reported pre-release business to Rs 665 crore.
However, Moneycontrol reported that the Netflix agreement includes a theatrical performance clause, meaning the final value of the deal could change depending on the film’s box-office performance.
Can Shah Rukh Khan’s King recover its massive budget?
Despite the impressive pre-release numbers, King has significant financial expectations to meet. According to Pinkvilla, the film’s production budget is approximately Rs 400 crore, excluding Shah Rukh Khan’s acting fee. With his notional remuneration and publicity expenses included, the overall cost could reportedly reach Rs 550 crore.
Hindustan Times reported that the film’s distributors may need a worldwide box-office collection of approximately Rs 800 crore to turn profitable.
About King
Directed by Siddharth Anand, King reunites Shah Rukh Khan with the filmmaker after their 2023 blockbuster Pathaan. The film also marks Shah Rukh’s first on-screen collaboration with daughter Suhana Khan.
Featuring Deepika Padukone, Rani Mukerji, Abhishek Bachchan and others, the film is scheduled to release in theatres on December 24, 2026.
