'Parasite' is getting a huge UK cinema expansion following Oscars, Baftas and box office triumph
Bong Joon Ho’s Oscar-winning Parasite is getting a big cinema expansion in the UK following its historic Best Picture win at the Oscars.
Originally released into just 136 venues on Friday, 7 February, Parasite will expand into over 400 sites across the UK and Ireland on Valentine’s Day after a record-breaking weekend at the box office.
The film grossed £1,079,102 from 136 venues with an impressive screen average of £7,935. Cinemas across the UK and Ireland reported multiple sell-outs through the weekend. Including previews, which took place with a live Q&A with Bong Joon Ho on 3 February, the film opened with £1,389,856: new record for a subtitled film in the UK.
Parasite won four Oscars at the 92nd Academy Awards on Sunday night including Best Original Screenplay, Best Director, Best International Feature and Best Picture Oscar, making it the first foreign language film to ever win the top award.
Read more: Tom Hanks leads cheers for Parasite
Philip Knatchbull, CEO the film’s UK distributor Curzon, said he was thrilled with the results.
"Last night’s Oscar result is truly historic,” he said in a statement. “We couldn't be happier for Bong Joon Ho, his team, and our friends at CJ Entertainment and NEON.”
“To be opening Parasite in the UK in the midst of all this excitement is a dream for any distributor. The weekend box office broke records for subtitled film and individual records at Curzon venues and with our partner cinemas.
#Parasite pic.twitter.com/7sX610dlV5
— CurzonMayfair (@CurzonMayfair) February 11, 2020
“With the film expanding this weekend to around 400 cinemas, we hope the film will be embraced even further by audiences in the UK and Ireland."
Originally released in smaller arthouse venues like Curzon cinemas the highly-praised film, which also won two Baftas, is now being booked in larger chains with bigger presences in rural regions, such as Cineworld, Odeon and Vue.
For a full list of venues showing Parasite from Friday visit: https://parasitemovie.co.uk/. Watch a trailer below.