Shah Rukh Khan’s much-anticipated film King is making headlines even before its theatrical release, with reports suggesting that the film has generated ₹665 crore through pre-release deals.
Directed by Siddharth Anand, the action entertainer is scheduled to arrive in cinemas on December 24, 2026. The reported deals include domestic and overseas theatrical distribution rights, digital streaming rights, music rights and satellite rights.
The reported figures underline the scale of the film’s commercial expectations, although the final financial outcome will depend on its theatrical performance and the terms of the agreements.
According to trade reports, King has secured several major rights deals ahead of its release.
The film’s overseas theatrical distribution rights were reportedly acquired by Phars Films for a minimum guarantee of ₹175 crore. Meanwhile, Pen Marudhar is said to have acquired the film’s domestic theatrical distribution rights for ₹250 crore.
The reported breakdown also includes a ₹150-crore digital streaming deal with Netflix, ₹65 crore from music rights and ₹25 crore from satellite rights.
Together, these deals add up to a reported ₹665 crore.
However, the Netflix agreement reportedly includes a performance-linked clause, meaning the final value of the streaming deal may change depending on the film’s box-office performance. The reported total should therefore be treated as an estimate based on the available deal figures, rather than a confirmed final collection.
King is reportedly being made on a production budget of around ₹400 crore, although some reports have placed the initial budget closer to ₹300 crore.
Additional expenses, including marketing and promotion, could push the film’s overall cost higher. Hindustan Times has reported that the film’s total landing cost could reach approximately ₹550 crore when marketing and Shah Rukh Khan’s notional fee are taken into account.
These estimates vary across trade reports, and the production’s final costs have not been officially confirmed.
King marks Shah Rukh Khan’s reunion with filmmaker Siddharth Anand after their 2023 blockbuster Pathaan.
The film is also notable for featuring Khan alongside his daughter, Suhana Khan, in their first on-screen collaboration. The ensemble cast includes Deepika Padukone, Rani Mukerji and Abhishek Bachchan.
The film’s promotional campaign began with the release of its first song on November 2, coinciding with Shah Rukh Khan’s birthday. With its Christmas release date approaching, King is positioned as one of the major Hindi film releases of the year.
The reported ₹665-crore pre-release business gives King a substantial commercial head start on paper. But rights deals and box-office collections are different measures: the former reflect agreements made before release, while the latter will depend on audiences buying tickets once the film reaches cinemas.
With Shah Rukh Khan returning to theatres after a gap of more than three years, the film’s performance will be closely watched by the industry.
Editorial note: The ₹665 crore figure is reported by trade outlets, not an official producer announcement.