Mumbai: Shah Rukh Khan’s upcoming action thriller ‘King’ has created a major buzz even before hitting theatres. The film has reportedly set a new record in the overseas market after its theatrical rights were sold for a massive amount. The deal has increased expectations around the film, which is now being compared with Shah Rukh Khan’s blockbuster hits like ‘Pathaan’ and ‘Jawan’.
According to reports, the overseas theatrical rights of ‘King’ have been acquired by Phars Films for a minimum guarantee of ₹175 crore. This is being considered one of the biggest overseas distribution deals for an Indian film. However, with such a huge investment, the film will also face the challenge of delivering a strong performance at the international box office.
₹175 Crore Overseas Deal Creates New Benchmark
The overseas rights deal of ‘King’ has reportedly crossed the previous benchmarks set by Indian films. A minimum guarantee deal means that the distributor pays a fixed amount to the producers for the rights, expecting higher returns through box office earnings.
Earlier, Shah Rukh Khan’s films ‘Pathaan’ and ‘Jawan’ achieved massive success in international markets, with both films earning around ₹400 crore overseas. Now, ‘King’ will have to match or surpass those figures to justify its record-breaking deal.
Film Faces Pressure to Deliver Big Box Office Numbers
With overseas rights reportedly sold for ₹175 crore, trade experts believe ‘King’ will need a strong global performance to become profitable. The film may require an overseas gross collection of around ₹350-₹375 crore to reach the break-even point.
The challenge becomes bigger as Shah Rukh Khan’s previous releases have already set very high standards. ‘Pathaan’ and ‘Jawan’ became global blockbusters, creating huge expectations among fans and the film industry.
Star-Studded Cast and Siddharth Anand’s Direction
Directed by Siddharth Anand, ‘King’ marks the reunion of Shah Rukh Khan and the filmmaker after their successful collaboration on ‘Pathaan’. The film features Shah Rukh Khan in the lead role along with Deepika Padukone, Abhishek Bachchan, Rani Mukerji, Jaideep Ahlawat, Raghav Juyal and Saurabh Shukla.
One of the biggest highlights of the film is that Shah Rukh Khan will share screen space with his daughter Suhana Khan for the first time. Suhana made her acting debut with ‘The Archies’ in 2023.
Christmas Release to Bring Big Box Office Clash
‘King’ is scheduled to release in theatres on December 24, 2026. The film will arrive during the Christmas holiday season, where it will face competition from several major Hollywood releases.
The movie will compete internationally with films like ‘Avengers: Doomsday’, ‘Dune: Part Three’ and ‘Jumanji: Open World’. With a record overseas deal already in place, all eyes will now be on whether ‘King’ can create a new benchmark for Indian cinema worldwide.
