Despite a two-day interruption in screenings due to national mourning closures, the war film The Tunnel surged past the 50 billion VND (approx. 1.98 million USD) mark on its first official release day - an unprecedented feat for a historical Vietnamese film.

Following the early 2024 success of the historical drama Peach, Pho, and Piano, The Tunnel has reignited audiences’ enthusiasm for local cinema, boasting a ticket sales momentum never before seen in its genre.

According to the film’s distributor, director Bui Thac Chuyen’s war epic recorded 60,000 pre-sale tickets before its official debut - a milestone no previous historical Vietnamese film has achieved.

Originally scheduled to hit theaters on April 4, The Tunnel was delayed due to the two-day national mourning period, and officially premiered on April 6.

By 2:00 p.m. on its launch day, Box Office Vietnam reported that the film had grossed 50 billion VND (including early screenings on April 2 and 3, and all pre-sales).

Fueled by enthusiastic viewer reactions and critical acclaim from early screenings, along with strong word-of-mouth promotion and a timely release during a national holiday, cinemas are now operating at full capacity to meet demand. On April 6 alone, The Tunnel was screened more than 5,000 times - an unprecedented figure for a film of its kind.

The Tunnel, which had a production budget of 55 billion VND (about 2.18 million USD), is already being projected to surpass the 100 billion VND (around 3.96 million USD) mark within days.

Much like Peach, Pho, and Piano, many moviegoers reported difficulty securing tickets online, with most showtimes sold out. Those hoping for premium seats need to act quickly.

With its release aligning with the Hung Kings’ Temple Festival, The Tunnel is poised to set a string of box office records in the coming days. It is also expected to dominate theaters throughout April, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of national reunification.

My Anh