Release: The House of Black

 

The House of Black 

Genre: Fantasy/Action/Drama

Director: Chan-wook Park

Writer: Sammy-Jo Ellis

Based on the characters in the Wizarding World created by JK Rowling

Cast: Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, Louis Partridge, Emma Mackey, Nell Hudson, Olivia Williams, Emma Appleton, Paul Kaye, Charles Dance, Cal MacAninch, Laurie Davidson, Kit Connor, Emily Carey, Niamh Cusack, Alun Armstrong

Budget: $100,000,000

Domestic Box Office: $114,124,595

Foreign Box Office: $227,339,400

Total Profit: $101,904,777

Reaction: The Drama genre probably negatively affected the box ceiling of this one, but it's still a super successful film - and the most profitable film in Season 35 so far.

"The House of Black plays less like franchise filmmaking and more like a sealed-room tragedy, with Chan-wook Park reshaping familiar mythology into something stark, intimate, and quietly devastating. The film thrives on tension rather than spectacle, with Louis Partridge and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth giving strong lead performances. I could have used a bit more action, but it's a well-told story that ushers in a new era of HP." - Martin Quell, North Bridge Review

"There’s no denying the craft on display in The House of Black, but its heavy, deliberate tone can feel at odds with the expectations of its source material - basically the filmmakers aren't exactly giving the fans what they have come to expect. Still, for those willing to meet it on its own terms, there’s a thoughtful, melancholic story beneath the weight of its ambition." - Alison Greer, The Sunday Picture Journal

"I must first credit the guts of one Sammy Jo-Ellis for going forward with an JK Rowling adaption given how she's tattered her reputation over the years, though in this political climate I imagine this will be debated for many years to come, it helps that the film itself captures the spirit and feel of the controversial author's work and expands it to make it its own. Maybe that's the whole point of this film, maybe it's not. One thing's for sure, it's nice to see Chan-Wook Park finally sink his teeth into something worthwhile with more than enough action and tension to leave hardcore fans satisfied and newcomers curious for more." - Mitchell Parker, New York Times 

Rated PG-13 for sequences of fantasy violence, thematic material, and some frightening images.