'Agora' earns highest 2009 Spanish box office gross within four days

(Relaxnews)

Agora, the historical Roman-Egypt war epic by Oscar-winning Spanish director Alejandro Amenábar, earned over $10.3 million in four days, becoming 2009's highest-grossing local film in Spain, according to entertainment trade publication Variety.

The English-language Agora, starring English actors Rachel Weisz and Max Minghella, was a joint production between the Spanish film companies Mod Producciones, Himenoptero and Telecinco Cinema.

Agora tells the tale of astronomer-philosopher Hypatia of Alexandria (Weisz) and her relationship with the enslaved Davus (Minghella).

The movie opened October 9 and earned $7.9 million in three days, besting this year's previous box-office weekend champions, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs and Seven Souls (which earned $4.7 million each). Agora's premiere weekend draw is the second highest in Spain's history, underneath 2005's crime comedy Torrente 3: El Protector (at $10.6 million).

Agora opens in Israel on November 26, and gets a widespread United States release on December 18.

Site: www.agorathemovie.com