Thailand’s biggest movie of 2024, How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies, will soon attempt a feat few commercial films from the country have tried before: Conquering cinemas worldwide.
Produced by the hitmaking Bangkok-based studio GDH, How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies has struck a chord with its irreverent take on the story of a scheming young man who quits his job to care for his dying grandmother in the hopes of inheriting her fortune. The film has earned $34 million from its theatrical runs in Southeast Asia and Australia/New Zealand, becoming the top-grossing Thai film ever in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Myanmar, Australia and New Zealand.
Producers revealed Monday that the film has lined up theatrical distribution in North America (on Sept. 13, via Well Go USA), China (Aug. 23, Teamer Media), South Korea (October, NK Contents), UK & Ireland (December, Vertigo Releasing), the Netherlands (Oct. 10, Vedette Film), Belgium (Nov. 13, Vedette Film) and India (TBD, PVR). International sales were handled by Nelson Mok of Mokster Films.
“It’s very heartening to see distributors eager to bring the film to their audiences, even though Southeast Asian films haven’t been commercially proven in some of these territories,” said Mok. “Clearly, the story has touched them deeply.”
How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies is the directorial debut of filmmaker Pat Boonnitipat, who also co-wrote the script. It stars popular singer-actor Putthipong Assaratanakul (aka Billkin) and 78-year-old actress Usha Seamkhum in her first film role.
GDH has a long history of discovering Thai talent. The studio’s 2017 high school thriller Bad Genius, directed by Nattawut “Baz” Poonpiriya, was a hit in Thailand but later became a sensation in China, earning $41 million there.