Tamil superstar Vijay, in Director Lokesh Kanagaraj‘s latest Tamil-language cinematic offering, ‘Leo: Bloody Sweet,’ has taken the global box office by storm, making a remarkable debut, securing the third position over the past weekend. The film has left audiences awestruck, garnering an estimated $31.2 million worldwide, as reported by Comscore.
While the top spot for the weekend was claimed by Martin Scorsese’s ‘Killers of the Flower Moon,’ starring A-listers like Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, and Lily Gladstone, which grossed an impressive $44 million. Not far behind was ‘Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour,’ showcasing a stellar performance at $41.5 million, according to ‘Variety.’
A Global Triumph
In a striking revelation, ‘Leo: Bloody Sweet’ has not only made an indomitable entry into the global box office but has also made a statement in terms of worldwide cumulative earnings among new releases. ‘Leo’ managed to secure a commendable $48.5 million after just four days, outperforming ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ which achieved $44 million. This extraordinary feat has surely put ‘Leo’ in the spotlight.
A Nod to Cinematic Mastery
This action-thriller, an homage to David Cronenberg’s 2005 film ‘A History of Violence,’ was released on October 19. ‘Leo’ delves into the gripping narrative of a mild-mannered café owner, portrayed by Vijay, who is compelled to confront his violent past. The film’s stellar cast includes luminaries such as Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Madonna Sebastian, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Mysskin, Mansoor Ali Khan, George Maryan, Priya Anand, and Mathew Thomas.
Behind the Scenes
The movie is produced by S.S. Lalit Kumar and Jagadish Palanisamy for Seven Screen Studio, marking their stamp on a cinematic masterpiece.
In the United States, ‘Leo: Bloody Sweet’ was presented by Prathyangira Cinemas and impressively grossed $2.1 million during the weekend. Across the pond in the U.K. and Ireland, Ahimsa Entertainment released the film, and it raked in a notable $1.3 million in its initial three days of release.
The Lokesh Cinematic Universe
‘Leo’ stands as the latest installment in Lokesh Kanagaraj’s cinematic universe, affectionately known as the LCU, which embarked on its journey with ‘Kaithi’ in 2019. This remarkable universe continued to captivate audiences with ‘Vikram’ in 2022 and retrospectively incorporated the 1986 classic ‘Vikram.’ Notably, characters from ‘Kaithi’ and the 2022 ‘Vikram’ make guest appearances in ‘Leo,’ creating an interconnected cinematic tapestry.
A Dynamic Duo: Vijay and Lokesh
This marks the second collaboration between Vijay, affectionately known as ‘Thalapathy’ (commander) by his fans, and director Lokesh Kanagaraj. Their previous partnership resulted in the phenomenal success of ‘Master,’ which grossed an impressive $36 million. Following this triumph, Vijay led the way in ‘Beast’ (2022) and ‘Varisu’ (2023), both of which also achieved remarkable numbers akin to the success of ‘Master.’
