Following the great success of Millennium in the Scandinavian market (2.4 million admissions), the film adapted from the first book ('Men Who Hate Women') of Stieg Larsson's best-selling trilogy has just opened in France with day two admissions figures of 102,361 reflecting a remarkable start.
With a cast including Swedish star Michael Nyqvist and rising actress Noomi Rapace, the feature film directed by Niels Arden Oplev is creating a remarkable excitement within Northern Europe.
The success of the film so far points to a promising outlook for its release this week in Switzerland and Belgium and on May 29 in Italy, Spain and Quebec respectively circulating 400, 250 and 30 prints on its opening night.
Director Niels Arden Oplev, along with cast members Noomi Rapace and Michael Nyqvist are attending the Cannes Film Festival to kick-off their European tour and will gave a first round of interviews on May 16 and 17. The film was screened on May 15 and 17 and is available to buyers throughout the festival.
Millennium is produced by Soren Staermose from Yellow Bird, a production company based in Sweden which is owned by the leading European group, Zodiak Entertainment. Distribution of the film will be handled by Marathon, another Zodiak Entertainment company. Yellow Bird is also producing greatly anticipated sequels to the film, entitled Millennium 2 (The Girl Who Played With Fire) and Millennium 3 (The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest). Rights to adapt the complete series were brought by Yellow Bird before the books were published.
Pascal Breton, Senior Vice President Fiction, Zodiak Entertainment, said: "The international success of Millennium demonstrates Zodiak Entertainment's ability to draw on its expertise in TV production and distribution to make an impressive entry into the film industry. So far, it seems that the film is riding a similar wave of success as the book which has sold more than 12 million copies worldwide. Millennium is the product of the convergence of a multitude of talents within out company which truly illustrates the spectrum of what is possible here."
Zodiak Entertainment is responsible for all production and distribution activities in television. film and new media on behalf of the De Agostini Group.
Zodiak Entertainment comprises more than 30 European companies and last year it generated more than £400 million.
These highly successful, award-winning companies as the creators of diverse and popular shows across the genres of drama, entertainment, animation and documentary.
(KMcA/BMcc)
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