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Box office websites The Numbers and Box Office Mojo are both listing an estimated opening of US$2.4 million for Knights of the Zodiac, the live-action film of Masami Kurumada‘s Saint Seiya manga. The film has so far opened in Japan (where it is titled Saint Seiya: The Beginning), Mexico, Brazil, Latin America, Kenya, and Romania. Box Office Mojo lists the film with a US$1,377,754 gross in Mexico, US$310,680 in Japan, US$173,731 in Colombia, and US$45,554 in Romania.
The film will begin screening in the U.S. on May 12. The film is also screening internationally on the following dates:
- May 12 – Nigeria, Poland
- May 16 – Germany
- May 24 – France
- May 25 – Middle East, Czech Republic, Ukraine, Portugal
- May 26 – Spain, Bulgaria
- June 26 – Italy
- June 23 – South Africa
- July 28 – U.K.
The film stars Mackenyu (Pacific Rim: Uprising, Rurouni Kenshin Saishūshō The Final, live-action Chihayafuru films) as Seiya, Madison Iseman (Jumanji sequels, I Know What You Did Last Summer television series) as Sienna, Sean Bean (Game of Thrones, The Lord of the Rings, Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV, Snowpiercer series) as Alman Kido, Famke Janssen (X-Men, Taken, The Vault) as Guraad, Nick Stahl (Fear the Walking Dead) as Cassios, Diego Tinoco (On My Block) as Nero, and Mark Dacascos (John Wick: Parebellum, Hawaii Five-O, Crying Freeman, Kamen Rider: Dragon Knight, Iron Chef America) as Mylock.
Polish animator and special effects creator Tomasz Baginski (Academy Award-nominated short animation “Katedra,” The Witcher) is directing for Toei with Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions. Andy Cheng (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) is the stunt coordinator and fight coordinator. Josh Campbell and Matt Stuecken (10 Cloverfield Lane) are the latest writers of the film script. Toei is distributing in Japan, and Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions is distributing outside Japan except in China and the Middle East.
Pop singer P!nk performs film’s theme song “Courage.”
The Hollywood Reporter describes the film’s story:
In what is labeled an origin story, Mackenyu is starring as Seiya, a street orphan and the title hero of the franchise. When a mystical energy known as Cosmo awakens in him, Seiya embarks on a journey to conquer the ancient Greek armor of Pegasus and choose his side in a preternatural battle for the fate of Sienna (Iseman), a young girl who struggles to control her godly powers.
Bean plays a mentor named Alman Kido, a man who recruits Seiya into the Knights order, which he founded when he discovered the reincarnated goddess. Tinoco is a man hired to kill the vulnerable goddess.
Toei Animation producer Yoshi Ikezawa told the news website Variety that Toei Animation is “looking at six movies as a package” for the live-action franchise. He added Toei Animation has “already started the conversation” to make sequels.
Kurumada published the original Saint Seiya manga from 1986 to 1990. The manga has inspired a number of television anime, original video anime projects, anime films, and spinoff manga. The original series has 35 million copies in print. The Saint Seiya: Saintia Shō spinoff manga also has an anime.
Viz Media published the original manga in English under the title Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac. ADV Films released Toei Animation‘s anime adaptation with an English dub under the title Knights of the Zodiac, and later released it unedited under the title Saint Seiya. New Video Group later also released the series on DVD.
Crunchyroll began streaming Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac – Battle for Sanctuary –, the second season of the CG anime remake in July 2022. The first part, consisting of the first six episodes, debuted worldwide in July 2019. The anime’s first 12-episode season covers the story from the Galaxian Wars to Silver Saints arcs of the manga. The anime will get a third season.
Sources: The Numbers, Box Office Mojo