Hong Kong actor Louis Koo has suffered another box office disappointment with the long-delayed crime thriller Sons of the Neon Night.
According to QQ, the film, directed, written, and co-produced by Juno Mak, opened to weak numbers despite boasting a star-studded cast including Takeshi Kaneshiro, Louis Koo, Tony Leung Ka-fai, and Gao Yuanyuan.
With a production budget of 450 million RMB, the movie had been shelved for eight years, topping “most-anticipated” film lists almost annually. But upon release, it quickly lost momentum.
Within nine hours of release on October 1, the film grossed only 6.49 million RMB. By 4:30 p.m. the same day, the box office reached 15.5 million RMB, with an estimated ceiling of just 100 million RMB in total revenue.
Screen occupancy and box office share remained at a modest 7%, far below competing titles.
Production issues plagued the film from the start. Both Takeshi Kaneshiro and Richie Jen were reportedly dissatisfied with director Juno Mak, leading to tensions on set. Kaneshiro later distanced himself from the film, refusing to participate in promotions.
The film’s long delay also left its narrative feeling outdated, with several illogical plotlines. After its screening at Cannes, the runtime was cut from 132 minutes to 125 minutes, which critics argue hurt the storytelling further.
Despite featuring big names, QQ pointed out that today’s younger audiences are less familiar with older stars like Takeshi Kaneshiro, Tony Leung Ka-fai, and Louis Koo. Once beloved in Mainland China, Louis Koo has faced a string of underperforming films in recent years. His reputation has suffered not only from box office failures but also from overreliance on marketing tactics that have left viewers disillusioned.
Sons of the Neon Night is a crime-horror drama exploring themes of corruption and moral decay in urban society. Filming began in June 2017 and wrapped in March 2018, with an initial release planned for 2019. However, post-production was heavily delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Once a highly anticipated epic, the movie is now seen as a cautionary tale about production mismanagement and missed opportunities, overshadowing the talents of its A-list cast.
Sources: Znews
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