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Library/Film/Pulp Fiction
Grade B24 sourcesHIS-01431

Pulp Fiction

Film · 1994 · Viral

72Editable slideCertificate

Pulp Fiction crossed $100 million domestically before its scenes became reaction GIFs.

Trailer · Miramax on YouTube
Clip · Miramax on YouTube
Clip · Miramax on YouTube
Pulp Fiction theatrical poster: Uma Thurman as Mia Wallace on a bed with a cigarette
Wikipedia (non-free, fair use)
Bruce Willis as Butch, driving, in the official trailer
Miramax on YouTube
Samuel L. Jackson as Jules, gun raised
Variety
Vincent and Jules aim their guns in Pulp Fiction
TIME
John Travolta in the Jack Rabbit Slim's dance scene
Miramax on YouTube
John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson in the car, the Royale with Cheese scene
Miramax on YouTube
Tarantino, Thurman and Travolta at Cannes for the film's twentieth anniversary, 2014
Georges Biard / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons
Pulp Fiction promotional photo: Jackson, Thurman, Travolta and Willis
Variety
Vincent looks around confused in Mia's house, the frame behind the Confused Travolta meme
Know Your Meme
John Travolta as Santa in Capital One's 2020 Christmas ad
GamesRadar+

Spread Score

How it works
Reach78Contagion45Breadth70VelocityNo data yetLongevity9872

Numbers

Worldwide theatrical gross, tracker total
$212.9M
As of Oct 23, 2026 · The Numbers
Milestone date
Week of Apr 7, 1995
May 21 ’94 to Week of Apr 7, 1995
Platforms
7
Started on Box office
Leverage
27×
$212.9M on $8M budget

Mechanics

  • Underdog
  • Controversy
  • Platform jumpPrimary
  • Press loop

How it spread

Trace the origin

Cannes recognition preceded a paid US launch and a long theatrical run. Home video extended access. Fans turned dialogue into image macros and Vincent Vega into reaction GIFs, while advertising reused the dance.

Documented milestone; not a measured attention peak. Dates use the stated precision; chart positions are date anchors.

May ’93Jul ’94Apr ’95Jun ’97Dec ’01Jun ’06Feb ’10Feb ’13Mar ’15Oct ’16Aug ’19Aug ’21Box officePressTVRetailOpen webRedditFacebook
Box officePressTVRetailOpen webRedditFacebook

12 more events on this chart

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Timeline (15)

  1. May 1994

    Quentin Tarantino / Festival de Cannes seed · May 21 ’94

    Pulp Fiction premiered at Cannes before its theatrical release.[1][2]

    Open the first post ↗

  2. Variety / Todd McCarthy press · May 23 ’94

    Variety published its Cannes review and identified a crossover challenge for Miramax.[3]

    Samuel L. Jackson as Jules, gun raised

  3. Festival de Cannes jury afterlife · May 23 ’94

    The Cannes jury awarded Pulp Fiction the Palme d’Or.[4][1]

  1. platform jump · Oct 14 ’94

  2. backlash · Oct 14 ’94

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Why it worked

Do this

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3

Pro opens the playbook, all 9 sourced numbers and 24 sources. Start with a free account.

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Origin
Mixed
Sector
Entertainment
Region
US
Worldwide theatrical gross, tracker total
$212.9M
As of Oct 23, 2026 · The Numbers
Evidence
Grade B

Spread the same way

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Artikulo Uno Productions / TBA Studios

A Philippine historical film revived by fan appeals grossed $4,625,639 worldwide.

$5.7M box office

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