Na Hong-jin’s ‘Hope’ stalls below $10 million in America: down 80% in its third weekend

South Korean director Na Hong-jin’s sci-fi thriller “Hope” has lost momentum at the American box office. As Collider reports, the film has grossed only around $8 million in North America after about 20 days in cinemas, remaining below the psychological $10 million threshold after a drop of a full 80% in its third weekend.

The drop has been dramatic in terms of screens too: from over 1,500 screens where it opened in early September, “Hope” is now showing in only 215 cinemas in the US, according to the published data.

Globally, the film has passed $45 million, a figure that remains below its reported budget of $46 million — practically an economic break-even that brings no profit. The largest share was secured in South Korea, where “Hope” performed markedly better with over $35 million, while the American success that distributor Neon had hoped for — a repeat of the “Parasite” phenomenon — did not materialize.

Despite the weak box office results, the film holds a strong critical reputation: it screened in competition at the Cannes Festival and currently holds 78% “Certified Fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes. The cast includes Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung and Jung Ho-yeon, with Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander in supporting roles.

It remains to be seen whether “Hope” will manage to cross the $10 million line in America, but with only 215 screens in circulation and the sharp drop, the outlook looks bleak for the ambitious project of Na Hong-jin, the author of the cult film “The Wailing.”