With Olivia Newton-John’s passing, Hollywood and fans mourned a legend, and now Grease is returning to theaters in honor of her. AMC will be showing the film at a discounted rate, and part of the proceeds will go to breast cancer research, which Newton-John was diagnosed with back in 1992.
AMC CEO Adam Aron announced the news on his Twitter with the plan of the rerelease and what percentage goes to the research. “To honor the late Olivia Newton-John: many of our U.S. [theaters] this weekend will show her classic 1978 hit movie Grease, again on the big screen,” Aron tweeted. “An inexpensive $5 admission price, and through our charity AMC Cares we will donate $1 per sold ticket to breast cancer research.”
The fan reaction was mostly positive with people sharing screenshots of their ticket orders, and what Newton-John’s performance and the movie meant to them.
The initial Grease release back in 1978 was successful both critically and commercially, becoming the highest-grossing musical film ever at the time. Its soundtrack album ended as the second-best-selling album of 1978, right behind the soundtrack of the 1977 blockbuster Saturday Night Fever. Grease earned an Oscar nomination for “Hopelessly Devoted to You” at the 51st Academy Awards.
Grease was rereleased for its 40th anniversary in 2018 and grossed $1 million. The film has grossed a total of $396 million worldwide.