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Saint Seiya Manga's Live-Action Knights of the Zodiac Film Earns US$535,000 in U.S. Opening Weekend Box Office

The Box Office Mojo website and entertainment news website Deadline reported on Sunday that Knights of the Zodiac, the live-action film of Masami Kurumada's Saint Seiya manga, has earned an estimated US$535,000, and ranked at #11 in the box office in its opening weekend in the U.S. The film screened in 586 theaters, and earned an estimated US$222,000 on its opening day on Friday, US$186,000 on Saturday, and US$127,000 on Sunday. Box Office Mojo lists the film with a current worldwide gross of US$5,007,573.

The film opened in Brazil, Mexico, and Latin America on April 27. The film then opened in Japan, Kenya, and Romania on April 28. Aside from the United States, the film also opened in Nigeria and Poland on May 12.

As of May 5, Box Office Mojo listed the film with a US$1,377,754 gross in Mexico, US$310,680 in Japan, US$173,731 in Colombia, and US$45,554 in Romania, with an estimated cumulative opening earning of US$2.4 million from those four countries.

The film is also screening internationally on the following dates:

• May 16 – Germany
• May 24 – France
• May 25 – Middle East, Czech Republic, Ukraine, Portugal
• May 26 – Spain, Bulgaria
• June 26 – Italy
• June 23 – South Africa
• July 28 – U.K.

The film stars Mackenyu (Pacific Rim: Uprising, Rurouni Kenshin Saishūshō The Final, live-action Chihayafuru films) as Seiya, Madison Iseman (Jumanji sequels, I Know What You Did Last Summer television series) as Sienna, Sean Bean (Game of Thrones, The Lord of the Rings, Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV, Snowpiercer series) as Alman Kido, Famke Janssen (X-Men, Taken, The Vault) as Guraad, Nick Stahl (Fear the Walking Dead) as Cassios, Diego Tinoco (On My Block) as Nero, and Mark Dacascos (John Wick: Parebellum, Hawaii Five-O, Crying Freeman, Kamen Rider: Dragon Knight, Iron Chef America) as Mylock.

Polish animator and special effects creator Tomasz Baginski (Academy Award-nominated short animation "Katedra," The Witcher) directed the film for Toei with Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions. Andy Cheng (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) was the stunt coordinator and fight coordinator. Josh Campbell and Matt Stuecken (10 Cloverfield Lane) were the latest writers of the film script. Toei is distributing in Japan, and Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions is distributing outside Japan except in China and the Middle East.

Pop singer P!nk performs film's theme song "Courage."

Toei Animation producer Yoshi Ikezawa told the news website Variety that Toei Animation is "looking at six movies as a package" for the live-action franchise. He added Toei Animation has "already started the conversation" to make sequels.

Sources: Box Office Mojo (link 2), Deadline (Anthony D'Alessandro)