THE GUARD Grosses over €4.13m and Breaks Irish Box Office Record
The Irish comedy thriller THE GUARD starring Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle has become the most successful independent Irish film in Irish box office history, grossing over €4.13m and is continuing its success worldwide taking nearly $3m at the US box office to date.The John Michael McDonagh-written and directed film has taken more at the Irish box office than international films such as The King's Speech, The Hangover 2, Transformers: Dark of the Moon and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.
The film is also finding audiences around the world and has been in the top 10 in the UK, Australia and New Zealand already this month. In the US, it has grown week on week and now in its sixth week with a box-office total of nearly $3m and has expanded to close to 200 screens across the States. With further releases planned for later this year in Germany, France, Italy and Holland the film is expected to become one of the most successful and valuable Irish film exports in recent times.
Commenting on the success, Jimmy Deenihan TD, Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht said: "This is great news for the Irish film industry and once again proves that there is a demand not only in Ireland, but also internationally, for quality Irish made film productions. Such an international success will ensure that an Irish story, filmed in Ireland will be projected all over the world, highlighting not only the wealth of talent and creativity the country has to offer but also promoting Ireland as a film and tourist destination."
James Hickey, Chief Executive, Bord Scannán na hEireann/ the Irish Film Board, added: "We're delighted to see an Irish film compete successfully with major Hollywood blockbusters here in Ireland and also achieving a strong audience response worldwide. It's a testament to the local and the international appeal of Irish film and the quality of filmmaking in Ireland."
The film's producer, Ed Guiney, said: "This is a landmark film for Irish cinema and we are delighted to be part of it. It's brilliant that it has hit so big at home but it's also more important than ever that Irish film punches above its weight internationally - and it's case proven with The Guard."
More About THE GUARD
THE GUARD, directed by John Michael McDonagh is a comedy-thriller starring Brendan Gleeson as an unorthodox Irish policeman who joins forces with a straitlaced FBI agent, played by Don Cheadle, to take on an international drug-smuggling gang.
THE GUARD is an Irish/UK co-production, backed by Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board and Section 481 as well as international financiers. It's produced by Chris Clark and Flora Fernandez Marengo for Reprisal Films and Ed Guiney (Garage) and Andrew Lowe (The Wind that Shakes the Barley) for Element Pictures.