‘Parasite’ Sets New Record for Director Bong Joon-Ho at Indie Box Office

Korean filmmaker now has his first $100 million-plus global grosser

Parasite Bong Joon Ho
"Parasite" / Neon

NEON’s “Parasite” set a new personal box office record for Bong Joon-ho this weekend, as the Korean filmmaker now has his first $100 million-plus global grosser.

Expanding to 461 screens in North America, “Parasite” continued its strong run at the indie box office this weekend, grossing $2.6 million and bringing its domestic total to $7.5 million. Its global total grew to $108 million, making it the first film from Joon-ho to gross over $100 million worldwide, passing his career high $89 million earned by his 2006 monster film “The Host.”

Also expanding this weekend was Fox Searchlight’s “Jojo Rabbit,” which grossed $2.4 million from 256 screens for a total of $4.2 million after three weekends. A24’s “The Lighthouse” added $1.94 million from 978 screens to bring its total to $6.9 million after three weekends.

Elsewhere, 101 Studios’ “The Current War” added $1.2 million from 1,082 screens to bring its total to just under $5 million after 10 days in theaters. Roadside Attractions’ “Judy” added $582,000 in its sixth weekend for a total of just under $23 million, while Sony Pictures Classics’ “Pain and Glory” added $348,000 from 111 screens for a total of $2.1 million.

Finally, Netflix released Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman” on eight screens in New York and Los Angeles this weekend, including Hollywood’s Egyptian Theater and Broadway’s Belasco Theatre. As with all Netflix theatrical releases, box office numbers are not being reported, but the film will expand to independent cinemas in top 10 markets next weekend.

In timing with the release, The New York Times posted a report on the failed negotiations between Netflix and theater chains to give “The Irishman” wide distribution. “This is a major director, a cinephile, who has made all kinds of important movies for our industry,” Fithian said. “And ‘The Irishman’ is going to play on one-tenth of the screens it should have played on, had Netflix been willing to come to an understanding with our members.”

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