Shah Rukh Khan has sold King to distributors before a single ticket has been sold, and the numbers are rewriting the record books. The action thriller has reportedly crossed Rs 665 crore in pre-release business, the biggest such figure for any Hindi film, with Netflix, music labels and theatrical distributors all paying record sums. Here is the full breakdown of King’s pre-release deals, budget, cast, story and the confirmed OTT plan.
Release Date and Launch Details
King arrives in cinemas on 24 December 2026, taking the prized Christmas window. Shah Rukh Khan reaffirmed the date himself in September after months of speculation about a delay.
- Language: Hindi, with dubbed versions expected later
- Director: Siddharth Anand, reuniting with Shah Rukh Khan after Pathaan
- Production houses: Red Chillies Entertainment and Marflix Pictures
- Genre: Action thriller
- Release window: Christmas 2026, with reports saying the film is eyeing more screens than Avengers: Doomsday, Dune 3 and Jumanji combined for the holiday period
The scale shows in the spend. Production cost is reported at around Rs 400 crore including Siddharth Anand’s remuneration but excluding Shah Rukh Khan’s acting fee. Pinkvilla estimates that adding a notional fee for the star takes the overall cost to roughly Rs 500 crore, with another Rs 40 crore expected for publicity and release expenses. That puts King among the most expensive Hindi productions ever mounted, behind only the two Ramayana films in reported budget size.
The Christmas window will not be empty. Reports covered by Sacnilk on 3 November say King is eyeing more screens than Avengers: Doomsday, Dune 3 and Jumanji combined for the holiday period, which would give it the widest release of the season in India. Trade trackers expect advance booking details to be announced closer to December.
Full Cast
King carries one of the biggest ensembles assembled for a Hindi film in years.
- Shah Rukh Khan in the lead role
- Deepika Padukone, pairing with Shah Rukh Khan again after Pathaan and Jawan
- Suhana Khan in a key role
- Rani Mukerji in a pivotal part
- Abhishek Bachchan in an important supporting role
- Kareena Kapoor Khan reportedly appears in a special song titled Daddy Cool
Official character names have not been revealed yet, and the makers are keeping role details under wraps closer to release. The first song, Tu Mil Jaaye, released on 2 November to mark Shah Rukh Khan’s 61st birthday, with Ed Sheeran joining Arijit Singh on the vocals.
Story Summary
The official synopsis of King is still under wraps. From the released material and trade reporting, the film is a high-octane action thriller mounted on a large canvas, which is Siddharth Anand’s home ground after Pathaan and War.
The pairing is the headline story on its own. Shah Rukh Khan and Siddharth Anand delivered one of the biggest Hindi hits of 2023 with Pathaan, and King is their first collaboration since. The reunion of Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone on screen, teased in the Tu Mil Jaaye video, adds another layer of recall for the audience that made Pathaan a worldwide blockbuster.
No spoilers are possible here since the story is being guarded tightly. What the marketing has shown so far points to style, scale and music first, with the plot kept for the screen.
What Critics Are Saying
King does not release until 24 December, so no critic reviews exist yet. Review copies and first screenings will happen closer to the release date, and this section will be updated with real verdicts then.
What can be reported is the trade mood. Sacnilk describes the distributor confidence as extraordinary, noting that the film has secured substantial theatrical and non-theatrical deals despite the high cost. Trade trackers point out that the Rs 425 crore in combined theatrical advances only pays off if the film performs at the box office, so the money is a bet on Shah Rukh Khan’s drawing power rather than guaranteed profit.
Box Office Collection
King has no box office collection yet, but its pre-release business reads like one. According to a Pinkvilla report covered by Sacnilk, the film’s deals add up as follows:
- India theatrical rights: Rs 250 crore advance from Pen Marudhar
- Overseas theatrical rights: Rs 175 crore minimum guarantee from Phars Films, the biggest overseas MG ever for an Indian film, beating the earlier Rs 100 crore ceiling
- Digital rights: Rs 150 crore base price from Netflix, with the final value linked to box office performance
- Music rights: Rs 65 crore
- Satellite rights: Rs 25 crore
- Total pre-release business: Rs 665 crore
Theatrical deals make up about 64 percent of the total. The Rs 665 crore figure already exceeds the reported Rs 400 crore production cost and Rs 40 crore release spend by Rs 225 crore, though the gap should not be read as certified profit since some amounts are performance-linked and final settlements depend on contracts.
The overseas number is the standout. Phars Films’ Rs 175 crore minimum guarantee is the largest ever for an Indian film overseas, a market where Shah Rukh Khan has been the most reliable draw since Pathaan and Jawan. The Christmas release gives King a clean runway at the box office, with no other major Hindi release announced for the same week.
For context on what the deals are betting on: Shah Rukh Khan’s 2023 releases Pathaan and Jawan both crossed Rs 1,000 crore worldwide, and distributors are clearly pricing King in the same league. The music deal at Rs 65 crore is another indicator, since the first song Tu Mil Jaaye has already brought Ed Sheeran and Arijit Singh together on one track. Every piece of the film’s business is being sold at superstar scale before the first show.
OTT Release: Where to Watch
Netflix has acquired the digital streaming rights to King at a base price of Rs 150 crore, according to the Pinkvilla report covered by Sacnilk. The deal is performance-linked, which means the final value rises if the film’s theatrical run is strong.
No OTT premiere date is announced. For a Christmas theatrical release of this size, an expected window of six to eight weeks after release is realistic, which would put the digital premiere somewhere in February 2027. Treat that window as expected, not confirmed.
FAQ
What is the King movie pre-release business?
King has reportedly done Rs 665 crore in pre-release business, including Rs 250 crore from India theatrical rights, Rs 175 crore overseas minimum guarantee, Rs 150 crore from Netflix, Rs 65 crore music rights and Rs 25 crore satellite rights, according to a Pinkvilla report covered by Sacnilk.
When is the King release date?
King releases in cinemas on 24 December 2026 over the Christmas weekend. Shah Rukh Khan reaffirmed the date in September 2026.
Who is in the cast of King?
Shah Rukh Khan leads the cast along with Deepika Padukone, Suhana Khan, Rani Mukerji and Abhishek Bachchan. Kareena Kapoor Khan reportedly features in the special song Daddy Cool. The film is directed by Siddharth Anand.
Where will King stream after release?
Netflix has acquired the digital rights to King at a base price of Rs 150 crore. The OTT premiere date is not announced yet, with an expected window in February 2027.
