Did ROTLD hurt Day of the Deads box office showings?
No but it caused minor confusion. Day hurt itself with no rating and minimal TV advertising. Although Day had just started shooting when Return was already basically in the can (Oct. 1984), Day wound up getting released BEFORE Return (July 1985). It was not released on one day, but rather a chain of dates whereas Return, being backed by major studio Orion, had one nationwide date in August. The critics generally favored Return, however the two films stayed clear of each other. The only incidence of both films “clashing” were in the Midwest areas when they were simultaneously released in late August. Return kept playing at midnight shows as Day saw release in the South and West in October. At the end of the year, Day had made close to $3 million and Return $5 million.* Another difference was Return was R rated, Day had no rating, which could have scared some people off.
