Exhibitors in the U.S. like to cry about the encroachment of streaming on theatrical attendance but they’ve never been to Italy, where moviegoing has more or less been in a funk post-Covid without any multi-national circuits in the country. That makes the latest success of the comedy Buen Camino, starring and written by Checco Zalone, all the more amazing: The pic is on its way to becoming the highest-grossing local-language film in Italy, overtaking the comedy star’s 2016 comedy Quo Vado? (€65.3 million/$72.6 million).
The Medusa theatrical release Buen Camino opened over the four-day Christmas holiday (December 25-28) to a record $31.6M, the biggest ever for an Italian film. Not only did that gross bonk James Cameron’s Na’vi folk over the head (Avatar: Fire and Ash posted a $6.3M second weekend there), but it also made Buen Camino the highest-grossing movie in Italy for calendar-year 2025, besting Disney’s Lilo & Stitch‘s $25.2M.
This past weekend, Comscore reports that Buen Camino posted a second weekend of $18.3M, sending its running cume in the land of Vittoria De Sica and Federico Fellini to $66.7M (€57M). At that cume, Buen Camino is currently the second highest-grossing local-language movie in Italy behind Quo Vado? and the third highest overall in a market that’s led by 2009’s Avatar ($68.6M unadjusted for inflation/currency swings). Against all global Hollywood releases for the first weekend of 2026, Buen Camino ranked second in a frame led by Disney/20th Century Studios’ Avatar: Fire and Ash, which did $170M worldwide in 51 material territories. In Italy alone, Avatar: Fire and Ash‘s running total stands at $24.3M.
Buen Camino follows a father who leaves his comfort zone to search for his missing daughter on the Camino de Santiago. During his pilgrimage, amid blisters and unexpected encounters, he discovers much more than mere clues. He rediscovers himself.
The movie was co-written and directed by Gennaro Nunziante, who also helmed the other Zalone hits Quo Vado?, Solo a Catinelle and What a Beautiful Day.
Bari-born Zalone owns five of the biggest Italian local blockbusters including Quo Vado? ($72.6M), Buen Camino, 2013’s Solo a Catinelle ($69.9M), 2020’s Tolo Tolo ($52.2M, which Zalone directed and co-wrote with Paolo Virzi), and 2011’s What a Beautiful Day ($59.4M)
What’s the secret to Buen Camino‘s success? Per sources on the ground, absence makes the heart grow fonder for the multi-hyphenate comedy star and singer Zalone, who movies about every five years, hence ratcheting anticipation among fans. His comedies are known to be simple with some political incorrectness and a good tone. Couple this with a year-end release date during which holiday moviegoing is active and you have an ideal recipe for success.
The Italian box office for all films for January 1-December 28, 2025 per Comescore, grossed $517.7M, off 1% from the same range a year ago. The fourth highest-grossing film for 2025 in Italy, and the second-highest local-language film for the year, was Paolo Genovese’s Madly with $21.9M in February.