purchased the film's production company, TNT began airing it nearly every week starting in 1997, which cemented its popularity with a global audience. Cross-Demographic Appeal
To appreciate the scale of the Shawshank phenomenon, one must look at the cold financial data of 1994. The film cost roughly $25 million to produce but pulled in a dismal $16 million during its initial theatrical run. It was eclipsed by Forrest Gump and Pulp Fiction , leaving Warner Bros. with a critical darling that audiences simply ignored. Shawshank Redemption Index