Is it fitting or perverse that the world's first post-pandemic theatrical blockbuster should be a movie about a zombie apocalypse spawned by a mysterious virus?
Korean filmmaker Yeon Sang-ho's action tentpole Peninsula, a loose sequel to his 2016 zombie hit Train to Busan, has earned $27.7 million in South Korea since its release on July 15 and $22.3 million from other international territories.
This $50 million worldwide haul makes it the top-earning new release since the coronavirus began shuttering cinemas around the globe earlier this year.
Train to Busan, acclaimed for its skillful action set pieces and fresh spin on the zombie genre, became an international breakthrough in 2016, bringing in $140 million worldwide.