The unconventional music biopic Kneepcap, about a rap trio from Northern Ireland, has already made $1m in the US. Now it’s getting an even bigger push.
When Kneecap arrived in cinemas last month, it was something almost completely unique: an unconventional biopic about a rap trio from Northern Ireland that fizzed with drama, humour and challenging political ideas. Our own Maria Lattila called it ‘an unusual, intoxicatingly funny film’ in her review.
While the film found something of an audience in the UK, that’s no surprise considering the story hails from these parts. Perhaps more uncertain was how director, Rich Peppiatt’s film would fare in the US. After all, the mixture of English and Irish language, often delivered via rapid-fire lyrics could have been perceived as a tough sell for American audiences. This the same US distribution sector that was hellbent on subtitling the teen London slang of Attack The Block before that film’s release over a decade ago, despite how acclaimed it was by American audiences during festival screenings.
However, Kneecap has performed really well throughout its US run, aided by strong reviews. According to Variety, the band’s heading to America and will tour several major cities, largely on the East Coast, including New York, Boston and Chicago. That tour, timed to promote Kneecap’s album Fine Art, has led US distributor Sony Classics to re-release the film in 154 cinemas across the US this coming weekend.
Read more: Kneecap review | Rich Peppiatt’s music biopic is refreshingly unique
The re-release will give the film a chance to add to its US box office, which has already passed the $1m mark. The film has also earned over $2m from its UK run. Equally importantly, it gets the film in front of more American eyeballs, an important factor given that the outlet states that ‘the film has been selected as Ireland’s entry for the Academy Award for best international feature this year.’
Kneecap is still playing at some cinemas in the UK if you want to catch it on the big screen. Should its star continue to rise, it’s a film that we certainly haven’t heard the last of.
