14/02/2025 - The two parts of Jakub Króner’s crime biopic on mafia boss Mikuláš Černák topped the list of local films at the domestic box office in 2024 and opened strongly in 2025, respectively

Slovak theatres have experienced a resurgence, with both attendance levels and box-office revenues showing notable growth in 2024. Data from the Union of Film Distributors of Slovakia indicate that cinemas attracted 5,435,556 theatre-goers, an 8.33% increase on 2023 (see the news). However, this figure remains 16.75% below the pre-pandemic levels of 2019 (see the news), highlighting the ongoing challenges in fully restoring cinema-going habits.

Financially, the industry benefited from a significant boost, with total revenues reaching €38,663,404 across 224,203 screenings. Domestic productions played a crucial role in drawing in audiences. Leading the local box office was Pixar's animated sequel, Inside Out 2, which attracted 401,191 spectators and generated €2,776,871 in revenue, underscoring the enduring appeal of US animated films for children for local audiences. Close behind it was the Slovak crime-thriller Miki by Jakub Kroner, which enticed 378,694 viewers and amassed €2,920,286, making it the highest-grossing domestic film of the year. Another local production, the comedy Kavej by Lukáš Zednikovič, secured 290,640 admissions and earned €1,957,275. In its wake was the animated feature Despicable Me 4, which garnered 285,672 viewers and raked in €1,986,036 in revenue.

Two additional local productions entered the top ten: Zuzana Marianková's workplace comedy We're Going to Team Building, grossing €1,853,818 with 250,331 admissions, and Jiří Mádl's period thriller Waves [+see also:
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interview: Jiří Mádl
film profile], which earned €1,238,134 from 175,473 admissions. Notably, Miki, Kavej and We're Going to Team Building each surpassed the 2023 Slovak box-office leader Invalid, demonstrating the mainstream appeal of domestic productions.

The retro vibe shared by Miki and Invalid, as well as their focus on the crime genre, clearly resonates with audiences. Miki dramatises the life of Slovak mafia boss Mikuláš Černák and joins the ranks of commercially successful domestic genre fare inspired by actual events that have been prominent in Slovak cinemas recently. Miki became the third-most-watched Slovak film in theatres since the country's independence in 1993.

However, Miki’s producers concurrently worked on a sequel titled Černák. While Miki focuses on Černák's rise in the early 1990s and the expansion of his influence, the sequel is set during the era of mafia wars and the intertwining of politics with organised crime. Despite public controversies surrounding films about a convicted murderer currently serving a life sentence, Černák became an instant box-office hit upon its premiere on 30 January. The film grossed €1,060,787 during its opening weekend, surpassing the Hollywood blockbuster Avengers: Endgame (€759,910) and becoming the highest-grossing film for an opening weekend in local theatres. After two weeks in cinemas, Černák has grossed €2,058,733 with 254,949 admissions, maintaining the top spot in the weekly rankings.

Looking ahead, the 2025 slate of domestic productions poised for theatrical release includes a biopic about the "Slovak Tom Jones", Karol Duchoň, titled Duchoň and directed by Peter Bebjak; a domestic adaptation of Another Round [+see also:
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interview: Kristina Dufková
film profile]; Martina Buchelová's Lover not a Fighter (see the news); and Tomáš Krupa's documentary We Have to Survive (see the interview).