‘Parasite’ Breaks Foreign-Language Box Office Record in U.K.

Bong Joon Ho’s Oscar-winning drama “Parasite” has broken records at the U.K. box office, becoming the country’s highest-grossing foreign-language film of all time.

“Parasite” has overtaken Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ,” which had held the foreign-language film record since 2004. “Parasite” overtook “The Passion of the Christ’s” box office of £11.1 million ($14.5 million) over the weekend, according to a Twitter post by the film’s distributor Curzon Artificial Eye.

“This weekend we’re celebrating the fact that Bong Joon Ho’s universally acclaimed ‘Parasite’ has now become the highest grossing foreign-language film in U.K. box office history!” said Curzon.

Parasite debuted in the U.K. on February 7, just days ahead of the Academy Awards where it won four Oscars including for best film.

The film took $1.8 million including previews over its debut weekend to record the highest-grossing foreign-language opening of all time in the U.K.

Building on the momentum and publicity it garnered at the Academy Awards, the following week “Parasite’s” release was expanded from 137 cinemas to 428 sites in the U.K. market.

The U.K. release came later than most territories, allowing the hit South Korean film to capitalize fully on its Oscar haul.

Globally, the film has taken $257 million at the box office, with more than $50 million coming from the U.S via distributor Neon and $73 million in South Korea.

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