Tom Parkin AS Media

When you have finished producing a film the next step is to release it into cinema. To do this you will need to help of a film distributor. They are in charge of releasing films to the public by home viewing or theatrically. This may be directly released by the distributor or through the help of theatrical distributors and sub-distributors.
The distributor must also ensure that enough film prints are struck to service all contracted exhibitors on the films opening day, making sure that they have been delivered to the theater by the opening day, monitor exhibitors to make sure the film is in fact shown in the particular theatre with the minimum number of seats and show times, and ensure the prints' return to the distributor's office or other storage resource on the return date.
The other responsibility that the distributor has is to ensure that there is a full line of advertising of other upcoming films before the showing of the film. If this advertising has not been created they may also be responsible for creating  the advertising if it is not provided by the production company, and arrange for the physical delivery of the advertising items selected by the exhibitor at intervals prior to the opening day.

Example of a boxoffice disapointment
In Manhattan, a mother of two preparing for her daughter's sixth birthday party has no idea of the challenges she's about to face in order to pull off the event.
This is the plot outline for the film 'Motherhood' the opening UK box office weekends total revenue was £86. That’s less than ten people in the whole of the UK who actually bought tickets. Of course the tax man will take 17.5% of that £86 (VAT), the theatre will take 75% of the remaining,