‘Gutenberg’ nears RM420 million, wins holiday weekend in China
HONG KONG: Hong Kong crime thriller Project Gutenberg scored US$37.2 million at the Chinese box office to comfortably win the under-powered second weekend of a prolonged holiday period. Zhang Yimou’s Shadow placed second.
Gutenberg’s cumulative total stands at nearly US$100 million (RM420 million).
For the film industry, the National Day screenings started on Sunday a week earlier, with the delayed releases of several titles. After a midweek reshuffle, those top scoring titles largely held their positions through the second weekend. A handful of new releases on Friday made little impact. The cumulative scores of all films on release over the second weekend was US$96.8 million, some 20 per cent down on the sessions last year.
Gutenberg, which stars Aaron Kwok and Chow Yun Fatt, has headed the charts every day since Tuesday.
Shadow has tracked solidly in second or third place throughout. It earned US$17.7 million between Friday and Sunday, lifting its eight-day total to US$65.5 million.
Hello Mrs Money, which opened brightly a week earlier, dropped to third place. It earned US$15.1 million, for an eight-day cumulative of US$74.6 million.
Fat Buddies earned US$7.95 million in fourth place. After eight days, its total is extended to US$28.7 million.
The drama, Lost, Found was the highest ranked new release. It scored US$7.17 million in three days for fifth place.
Romance-drama, Cry Me a River earned US$5.02 million in sixth position. After 17 days, its running total is US$45.2 million.