Irony of Fate sequel pulls crowds in Russia

According to a spokesperson of the Russian state-owned Channel One television channel, which produced the film, the new movie may well cross the 50 million mark.

The previous record was held by the 2006 supernatural thriller 8220;Day Watch,8221; which earned just under 35 million, trailed by last year8217;s Pirates of the Caribbean: At World8217;s End, with 31.8 million.

The original Irony of Fate was made by renowned Russian director Eldar Ryazaov in 1975. It opens with a prelude saying that such a story could only have taken place on New Year8217;s Eve.

The script plays on the similarity of houses in Soviet times. Many people across the country lived in almost identical apartment buildings.

The new Irony of Fate film is not a remake of the original, but a continuation of the story, the producers of the film claimed.

It is directed by Timur Bekmambetov, famous for his Day Watch and Night Watch fantasy thrillers. He said he was not afraid to be compared to the outstanding Eldar Ryazanov.

In the new film the action takes place in 2005. Fate continues to play jokes on the children of the main characters. There are many references to the original film, as its characters find themselves in the same situations.