Shah Rukh Khan's King strikes gold with Rs 665 crore pre-release haul

According to Sacnilk, King has secured pre-release deals worth Rs 665 crore worldwide. The Shah Rukh Khan film may need about Rs 800 crore globally to meet profitability targets.King has a Christmas release (Photo: Instagram/@redchilliesent)New Delhi,Nov 3, 2026 13:41 ISTShah Rukh Khan’s upcoming film King is already making big money, even before its theatrical release. The Siddharth Anand directorial has reportedly raked in Rs 665 crore through its pre-release deals, according to Sacnilk, making it one of the biggest pre-release business stories in recent Hindi cinema. The film has secured lucrative deals across domestic and overseas distribution, streaming, satellite and music rights ahead of its December release.The buzz around King picked up further on November 2, when Shah Rukh celebrated his birthday by unveiling the film’s first song. The promotional campaign has begun nearly seven weeks before the film reaches cinemas on December 24, 2026. It will also mark the actor’s return to the big screen after more than three years.A major share of the reported Rs 665 crore comes from the film's theatrical distribution deals. Phars Films has reportedly acquired the overseas distribution rights for a minimum guarantee of Rs 175 crore. The deal is said to be the highest overseas minimum guarantee secured by an Indian film, with no earlier deal reportedly crossing the Rs 100 crore mark.Closer home, Pen Marudhar has bought the Indian theatrical distribution rights for Rs 250 crore, according to Pinkvilla. The non-theatrical deals have added considerably to the film's pre-release earnings. Netflix has reportedly acquired the streaming rights for Rs 150 crore, while the satellite and music rights have fetched Rs 25 crore and Rs 65 crore, respectively. The Netflix deal, however, comes with an interesting condition. It reportedly includes a theatrical performance rider, which means the final value of the streaming rights could change depending on how King performs in cinemas. If all the reported figures hold, the film's pre-release business stands at Rs 665 crore.Behind these impressive numbers is a production that has grown considerably in scale. King was initially planned on a budget of around Rs 200 crore, but reports suggest that the production cost has climbed to nearly Rs 400 crore. This figure includes director Siddharth Anand's remuneration but excludes Shah Rukh's acting fee. The overall cost could touch Rs 500 crore after factoring in the superstar's notional fee, with another Rs 40 crore expected to go towards publicity and release expenses. That puts the reported pre-release recoveries in an interesting position, with the film already commanding substantial business before audiences have had a chance to watch it.King also brings Shah Rukh and Siddharth Anand together again after their 2023 blockbuster Pathaan. The film marks Shah Rukh's first on-screen collaboration with daughter Suhana Khan, adding another talking point to the project. Deepika Padukone, Rani Mukerji and Abhishek Bachchan also feature in key roles.- Ends