Los Angeles: Bong Joon-ho's latest film, "Mickey 17," debuted at No. 1 at the North American box office over the weekend, making history as the first film by a Korean director to debut in the top spot. However, its opening-weekend earnings fell short of industry projections, raising concerns over its ability to recoup its substantial production and marketing costs.

According to Yonhap News Agency, "Mickey 17" earned US$19.1 million from 3,807 theaters in North America during its opening weekend, as reported by Box Office Mojo, a U.S.-based online tracker of box-office revenue. The American sci-fi black comedy grossed an additional $34.2 million internationally, bringing its global total to $53.3 million.

Among international markets, South Korea led with the highest earnings, bringing in $9 million in its opening week, followed by France with $2.9 million and Britain with $2.7 million. Despite this, industry analysts had initially estimated the film would earn around $20 million in its North American opening weekend. Its actual performance has sparked concerns within Hollywood media circles about its long-term profitability.

According to Variety, Warner Bros. invested $118 million in production costs and an additional $80 million in marketing for "Mickey 17." Industry insiders suggest that for the film to break even in its theatrical run, it would need to gross between $275 million and $300 million worldwide. "Mickey 17" has garnered significant attention in Hollywood as Bong's first film in five years following "Parasite," which won four Academy Awards, including Best Picture, in 2020.