Thelma & Louise was screened out of competition as the closing film at the 1991 Cannes Film Festival.[15] Theatrical release was delayed due to financial turmoil at MGM-Pathé.[16] The film eventually opened in American theaters on May 24, 1991[1] and was a box office success, grossing $45 million within the country.[17] It proved especially successful in the home video market; with 380 000 VHS rental copies being shipped throughout the United States,[18] it became the most rented movie of 1992.[19]
In February 2023, The Criterion Collection announced the film would be joining the collection in May that year.[20]
