press release
„De Film van Rutger, Thomas & Paco” celebrates Gouden Film Award and surpasses 250,000 visitors
(Cologne/Amsterdam, September 3, 2025) – Huge box office success for the local production "De Film van Rutger, Thomas & Paco" in the Netherlands: The film, distributed by the Dutch subsidiary Splendid Film B.V. and produced in collaboration with Blooming Media (also NL), has been hugely popular with audiences since its theatrical release on July 2. With currently just under 250,000 viewers, the film is the first Dutch production in 2025 to reach the 100,000 viewer mark and be awarded the "Gouden Film Award." With this prestigious award, the Dutch Film Festival (supported by the Netherlands Film Fund, among others) honors Dutch films that sell more than 100,000 cinema tickets.
"De Film van Rutger, Thomas & Paco" is a literally animalistic action adventure for the whole family: Rutger (Rutger Vink) and Thomas (Thomas van Grinsven) must rescue their beloved dog Paco, who is kidnapped by the evil Tiffy Woefels. Since they themselves are suspected of having kidnapped Paco, they must prove their innocence in addition to carrying out the rescue mission, but they receive help from an unexpected source.
The sequel to the adventures of Rutger, Thomas & Paco is already in the starting blocks: filming for part 2 will begin in September 2025, with release scheduled for summer 2026.
Splendid Film B.V. has more promising cinema releases lined up for fall 2025: The release of "Perfectly Imperfect," a romantic drama starring Yolanthe, is planned for October. The successful Juf Braaksel series will also return to theaters this year with a sequel: “Juf Braaksel en De Mysterieuze Verdwijning” is scheduled for release in December and was filmed this summer. The eagerly awaited Dutch serial killer thriller "Amsterdamned II" will be released in Dutch cinemas in early December, 37 years after the huge international cinema success of the first part. Due to the very positive response in the run-up to the release, the production promises to be another success. Trailer and poster campaigns are currently in preparation.
The theatrical release of the comedy "Bledders" has also been announced for 2026. The Dutch answer to "21 Jump Street" was filmed this summer.
Splendid Film B.V., Amsterdam, a Splendid Group company, distributes films for Dutch and Belgian cinemas, for international streaming platforms such as Netflix and Prime Video, and for local platforms such as Pathé Thuis. In addition, Splendid Film B.V. focuses on the development, co-production, and distribution of Dutch films such as the successful "Misfit" and "Slijmfilm" series, "K3 Love Cruise," and "De Dirigent." In addition to a wide selection of local content, Splendid Film B.V. also distributes international Hollywood productions such as the Oscar-winning "Moonlight," the horror film sensation "Hereditary," and the war drama "Hacksaw Ridge." The success of "Juf Braaksel en de Magische Ring" will continue with the release of the third part of the live-action film adaptation, which will be released later this year.
Additional images for this press release