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Director believes Gen Z, 'word of mouth' boosted 'Deleter' at box office

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<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Film director Mikhail Red (2nd from right) poses with the cast of ‘Deleter,’ including lead actress Nadine Lustre (middle), during its premiere night on December 23. Instagram: @vivaartistsagency" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/entertainment/12/29/12292022-deleter.jpg"/><figcaption>Film director Mikhail Red (2nd from right) poses with the cast of ‘Deleter,’ including lead actress Nadine Lustre (middle), during its premiere night on December 23. <em>Instagram: @vivaartistsagency</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — “Deleter” director Mikhail Red believes “word of mouth” has been instrumental in the success of the horror flick at the box office, despite its adults-only rating.</p><p>“Honestly, unexpected kasi R-rated horror,” Red said of reports of “Deleter” emerging No. 1 in ticket sales in some cinemas, and second overall, so far, in the ongoing Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF).</p><p>“In fact, everyday umaangat yung box office and number of cinemas,” he was quoted as saying by <a href="https://push.abs-cbn.com/2022/12/29/fresh-scoops/mikhail-red-on-winning-mmff-best-director-for-dele-204655">PUSH</a>. “We’re happy na may certain cinemas na na-o-sold out kami and minsan nag-nu-number one.”</p><p>The filmmaker surmised that aside from positive reviews for “Deleter,” including the award-winning performance of its lead actress Nadine Lustre, its appeal also lies in the fun experience of watching horror with friends — particularly in cinemas.</p><p>“I think [it’s because of] good word of mouth and parang ang lakas ngayon ng presence ng Gen Z, Gen Y. Iyong mga bata sa internet, ‘yung mga TikTok generation, I think sila ‘yun, e. Barkada movie siya kasi para siyang rollercoaster ride minsan,” he said.</p><p>Red also pointed to the shift in viewing habits among Filipino viewers during the pandemic, when streaming platforms like Netflix boomed locally, offering diverse genres to the local audience.</p><p>“Pino-process [ko] pa rin. Very happy kami na ‘yung genre cinema nga ay nabuhay suddenly. I think after the pandemic, nag-change ‘yung viewing habits ng mga tao dahil sa Netflix, so sobrang unexpected and at the same time sobra kaming proud,” he said.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/12/27/22/mmff-2022-deleter-leads-winners-with-7-trophies">MMFF 2022 awards: &#x27;Deleter&#x27; leads winners with 7 trophies, including best actress for Nadine Lustre</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/12/26/22/mmff-review-nadine-proves-acting-mettle-in-deleter">MMFF review: Nadine Lustre proves mettle as an actress in &#x27;Deleter&#x27;</a></li></ul><p>Red spoke with the press shortly after “Deleter’s” 7-trophy haul at the MMFF awards ceremony last Tuesday. That his latest film won major prizes, including Best Director, Best Actress, and Best Picture, was admittedly “shocking” for him.</p><p>“We’re still processing. We’re surprised and shocked, kasi nga when we made this film, we didn’t even know na mag-e-MMFF. Parang tinry lang i-submit ng Viva and then nakapasok, so very shocking,” he said.</p><p>The director revealed that he and producer Viva Films are hoping to submit “Deleter” in international film festivals, or release the title on streaming platforms after its MMFF run.</p><div><strong>Related video:</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/obuKD3vowkM?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

“Deleter” director Mikhail Red believes “word of mouth” has been instrumental in the success of the horror flick at the box office, despite its adults-only rating.