Paramount’s leading the charge this weekend with the highly anticipated Gladiator II, out at 722 sites across the UK and Ireland. The original 20
Paramount’s leading the charge this weekend with the highly anticipated Gladiator II, out at 722 sites across the UK and Ireland.
The original 2000 historical epic Gladiator was also directed by Ridley Scott and starred Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen and Oliver Reed, taking $466m at the global box office, with over $43m in the UK alone.
This time, it’s Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal and Denzel Washington taking centre stage. A adolescent barbarian named Lucius (Mescal) lives with his wife and child in Numidia, which is invaded and conquered by the powerful Roman army. It is the widest ever opening for a Ridley Scott film in the territory, smashing the 417 sites the first film opened in. However, it is not the quite the widest fresh release of the year, after Paddington In Peru opened in 732 venues last weekend for Studiocanal, and Joker: Folie A Deux started in 725 sites for Warner Bros in October.
Event cinema is having a mighty weekend, with Kiss Me Kate: The Musical the biggest event release, at 560 sites for Trafalgar Releasing. Line Of Duty star Adrian Dunbar and Broadway veteran Stephanie J. Block lead the show, filmed at London’s Barbican. Also out this weekend is Elton John: Never Too Late, playing at the Kings Cross Everyman only for Disney, as well as Andrea Bocelli 30: The Celebration for Fathom Entertainment.
Netflix has an awards-qualifying (minimum 50 screens for seven days) release for Ben Taylor’s BFI London Film Festival premiere Joy, starring James Norton, Bill Nighy and Thomasin McKenzie, that follows three pioneering British scientists in the 1960s and 70s and their struggle to develop fertility treatment, IVF.
Trinity CineAsia has Hong Kong drama The Last Dance, in which a debt-ridden wedding planner who finds unexpected success as a funeral planner. Anselm Chan directs the drama, which opens in 63 locations.
Johan Grimonprez’s Cold War-set documentary Soundtrack To A Coup d’Etat, which won a special jury award as part of the world documentary competition at Sundance, plays at 24 venues for Modern Films. It is next screening at International Documentary Festival Amsterdam.
It’s a good week for fans of Indian cinema. Yash Raj Films has two films out: Hindi action epic Kanguva at 244 venues and Malayalam-language action film Mura at 21. Rahi Anil Barve’s Hindi-language folk horror Tumbbad is playing at 17 locations, in Vue cinemas across the UK only, for Bakrania Media. The film opened Venice Critics’ Week in 2018, but hasn’t previously been seen in UK cinemas. Dreamz Entertainment has Karuna Kumar Indian Telugu-language period action drama Matka at 15 sites, which follows 24 years in the life of a prominent gangster. There’s also Hindi-language The Sabarmati Report, based on actual events in 2002 when several coaches at Godhra station caught fire, prompting rioting, for Zee Studios.
Metis Films is releasing Antonella Sudasassi Furniss’ Berlinale Panorama audience award winner Memories Of A Burning Body – the Costa Rican entry for the best international feature race at the Oscars – at three cinemas. The drama explores female sexuality in older age.
Also out at three sites is gloomy US comedy drama, Christmas Eve In Miller’s Point, for Vertigo Releasing. Tyler Thomas Taormina directs and produces the title, which premiered at Cannes. Michael Cera stars and is among its producers.
Key holdovers include Paddington In Peru (Studiocanal), Red One (Warner Bros) and Heretic (Entertainment Film Distributors).
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