Na Hong-jin's film 'Hope' debuted at second place in the North American box office on its opening day, signaling a positive start for its international release.
According to Box Office Mojo, 'Hope' grossed $1.1 million (approximately 1.48 billion won) from 1,560 theaters on its opening day, September 9 (local time). On the same day, Christopher Nolan's 'Odyssey' topped the box office with $1.26 million, while 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day' came in third with $1.001 million. Notably, 'Hope' achieved the highest per-theater average revenue of $705 among all new releases in North America.
In terms of opening day revenue, it ranks as the second highest for a Korean film in North America. Box Office Mojo reports that Shim Hyung-rae's 'D-War' holds the record with $1.602 million on its opening day in 2007.
Local reactions have been mixed, but interest remains high. The Associated Press described 'Hope' as a major Korean film that combines monster and science fiction genres, highlighting performances by Hwang Jung-min and Jung Ho-yeon, as well as the film's unique genre approach. American film outlets have also noted the film's bold action and innovative genre blending.
'Hope' has generated significant anticipation in international markets even before its release. According to the Korean Film Council's KoBiz and the international film magazine Screen Daily, the film was pre-sold to over 200 countries and regions around the time of its Cannes Film Festival premiere, setting a record for overseas pre-sales for a Korean film. It is reported that nearly half of its production costs have been recouped through overseas pre-sales alone.
'Hope' is a science fiction action film that unfolds as an unidentified entity appears in the village of Hopohang near the Demilitarized Zone. The cast includes Hwang Jung-min, Jo In-sung, Jung Ho-yeon, as well as Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander, and Taylor Russell.
Released domestically on July 15, 'Hope' is Na's first film in ten years since 'The Wailing' and was invited to compete at the Cannes Film Festival, garnering early interest from international markets. Its initial performance in North America exceeds expectations, raising the potential for Korean genre films to achieve global success.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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