[dropcap]W[/dropcap]e didn’t know they were beautiful and we certainly didn’t know they’d have a hit movie on their hands, but that’s exactly what pop phenomenon One Direction have accomplished by topping both the UK and US box-offices.
Not content with dominating the music scene, the boys have managed to pack out cinemas the world over with their film-cum documentary This Is Us – some people are just plain greedy, aren’t they?
Since its world premiere and official release, both towards the end of August, the X-Factor grads’ big-screen debut has earned well over £20m worldwide. This includes $17m stateside, along with £3.47m back home. To put this into perspective, other new release, Pain and Gain starring Mark Wahlberg, made a mere £1m. Meanwhile, sci-fi flick Elysium has had to make do with second place, even with the pulling power of Matt Damon and Jodie Foster on its side.
None of this has come as a big surprise; you could start selling tins of baked beans with 1D on the label and Heinz would probably go bust within a fortnight. Such is the success of this monster marketing story that already there is talk of a sequel. Yep, with X-Factor 2013 barely underway, Simon Cowell is already hatching the next part of his plan to become master of the universe.
This Is Us has been directed by Morgan Spurlock, of Super Size Me fame, a man whom we have yet to forgive for helping to rid the world of over-sized Big Mac meals. Before you ask, Morgan, no, this latest project isn’t going to get you back into our good books! Anyway, rant over.
So apart from a follow-up, what will 2014 have in store for the likely lads? Who dares to dream, but there is a fair chance that at least one of them will get a proper bite at the movie cherry when One Direction have, like all good things, come to an end.
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