This Animated Film Is Now the Highest-Grossing Korean Movie in the US, Dethroning Parasite
An animated project based on a story by Charles Dickens becomes an unexpected box office hit.
There are so many genres in cinema: dramas, thrillers, body horror, slashers, and more. But one genre, or concept, is very rare – works that touch on biblical themes.
Once upon a time, almost a quarter of a century ago, the DreamWorks studio attempted to present viewers with the animation The Prince of Egypt, which tells the story of Moses. The film was controversial, but it paid off.
The topic was forgotten for a long time, until last year, when insiders began to talk about work on the project The King of Kings. This time, two companies at once made a bold attempt: Angel Studios and Mofac Animation.
The King of Kings Dethroned Parasite As the Highest-Grossing Korean Movie in the US
The Korean animation, which recently hit the big screen, was a huge success, surpassing Bong Joon-ho's Parasite in box office receipts to become the highest-grossing Korean project in the US.
The film has earned $54.7 million domestically in three weeks. Bong Joon-ho's comedy-drama, which earned $53.8 million in 2019, fell to second place after holding the top spot for nearly six years.
What Is The King of Kings About?
The movie tells the story of a boy named Walter who is a fan of King Arthur. He considers his exploits legendary and uses him as a role model.
However, his father Charles decides to tell his son about the greatest person, the so-called King of Kings – Jesus. The audience is shown the story of the Son of God confronting the tyranny of Herod.
The idea is taken from the original source in the form of Charles Dickens' book The Life of Our Lord. This story was originally written only for Charles' children, but was later published more than 60 years after the death of its creator.
The movie is not intended for adult viewers – the target audience is children, no older than adolescents. At the same time, the animated movies turned out to be just perfect for children – a kind, educational fairy tale.
According to Jordan Harmon, co-founder of Angel Studios, the film is a kind of analog of The Passion of the Christ, only in a simplified format and with pleasant visuals.