Box Office Battle Heats Up With New Releases

As the summer movie season kicks off, two highly anticipated films are set to compete for box office dominance on April 30, 2025. The first, The Roundup: Demon Hunters, is an occult action film that features a team of unique heroes battling against evil forces in a chaotic city. Starring Ma Dong-seok, Seohyun, and Lee Da-wit, the film promises a thrilling experience for audiences.

Directed by Lim Dae-hee, The Roundup: Demon Hunters completed filming in September 2021 and is releasing approximately four years later. The movie has already generated buzz, with a pre-sale ticket count of 90,256 and a pre-sale rate of 22.3% as of 4:00 PM on April 29, according to the Korea Film Council's combined real-time ticket sales. The film is rated for ages 15 and up and has a runtime of 92 minutes.

In addition to its impressive cast, The Roundup: Demon Hunters has a webtoon prequel titled The Roundup: Demon Hunters - The Zero, which has been serialized on Naver Webtoon since October 2024. This connection to the webtoon may attract a wider audience, particularly fans of the genre.

Simultaneously, Shazam! Fury of the Gods will also hit theaters, featuring a star-studded cast, including Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, and Wyatt Russell. This action blockbuster follows a mismatched team of former spies and assassins as they attempt to save the world from a formidable threat. With a runtime of 127 minutes and a rating for ages 12 and up, the film is expected to draw significant attention.

Produced by the creative team behind the acclaimed series Succession, which won eight awards at the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards, Shazam! Fury of the Gods is positioned to be a major contender at the box office. Its pre-sale ticket count stands at 89,996, with a pre-sale rate of 22.2%, closely trailing behind The Roundup: Demon Hunters.

Both films are entering a competitive landscape, especially with the upcoming holiday period, which begins with Labor Day on May 1 and extends until May 6. This long holiday is likely to boost ticket sales as families and friends flock to theaters.

The excitement surrounding these releases is palpable, with fans eager to see how they will fare against each other. Ma Dong-seok's involvement in The Roundup: Demon Hunters adds an extra layer of anticipation, as he has previously achieved box office success with the Roundup series, amassing millions of viewers in past films.

As the countdown to the release date continues, industry insiders are keenly observing the evolving box office landscape. With The Roundup: Demon Hunters and Shazam! Fury of the Gods both vying for the top spot, the results of this cinematic clash could reshape the box office rankings.

In the midst of this competition, another film titled The Plot is also set to debut on the same day. Based on a novel by author Gu Byeong-mo, The Plot tells the story of a legendary killer and a mysterious assassin, featuring a cast that includes Lee Hye-young and Kim Seong-cheol. With a runtime of 122 minutes and a rating for ages 15 and up, this action-drama film adds further intrigue to the cinematic offerings of the day.

As of now, The Roundup: Demon Hunters leads in pre-sale rankings, but with the dynamic nature of box office competition, it remains to be seen how the rankings will shift with the release of these films. The industry is buzzing with speculation about the potential for a box office shakeup, especially since The Roundup: Demon Hunters and Shazam! Fury of the Gods are both highly anticipated.

As audiences prepare for the releases, the excitement is palpable. Will Ma Dong-seok's foray into the occult action genre captivate viewers, or will the superhero antics of Shazam! Fury of the Gods steal the spotlight? With both films set to release on the same day, moviegoers are in for a treat as they decide which film to watch first.

In conclusion, the box office battle between The Roundup: Demon Hunters, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, and The Plot is shaping up to be an exciting event for film enthusiasts. The outcome of this competition will not only impact the films' financial success but also set the tone for the summer movie season ahead.