....Music Box Films is pleased to announce the forthcoming US cinematic release of the Swedish versions of THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE and THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNETS’ NEST directed by Daniel Alfredson and based on Stieg Larsson’s books of the same name.  These films, produced by Yellow Bird a Zodiak Entertainment Company,  round out the Lisbeth Salander trilogy that begins with THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, opening across the United States on March 19.  Noomi Rapace and Mikael Nyqvist reprise their successful portrayal of Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomqvist in these films, already box office hits in Europe.

In THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE Mikael Blomkvist is about to run a story that will expose an extensive sex trafficking operation between Eastern Europe and Sweden, implicating well-known and highly placed members of Swedish society. On the eve of publication, the two investigating reporters are murdered and the fingerprints found on the murder weapon belong to Lisbeth Salander.

In THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNETS’ NEST Lisbeth Salander is fighting for her life in more ways than one. In intensive care and charged with three murders, she will not only have to prove her innocence, but also identify and denounce those corrupt government institutions that very nearly destroyed her life. Once upon a time, she was a victim. Now Salander is fighting back.

Music Box partners Edward Arentz and William Schopf negotiated the deal with Emmanuelle Bouilhaguet and Cecile Cau of Zodiak Entertainment, the film’s international sales agent. The films have now sold throughout the world.

Music Box’s Schopf describes the Lisbeth Salander story as addictive, “It is the cinematic equivalent of the best kind of page turner.  Once you have seen Noomi Rapace as Lisbeth Salander, you want more of her playing that role.”

Emmanuelle Bouilhaguet, Scripted Sales Director at Zodiak Entertainment Distribution said “The box office figures from the opening weekend in the US prove yet again that Millennium has a global appeal to cinema audiences. We are very excited that Music Box will release the second and third films in the trilogy as a result of the success of the first film. The USA is historically a very tough market for foreign films to crack which makes us all the more proud of this amazing product in the Zodiak Entertainment Distribution portfolio. We are extremely pleased that our international movie phenomenon continues to appeal across the globe.”

Both films begin their US theatrical release in summer 2010.

ABOUT MUSIC BOX FILMS

Founded in 2007, Music Box Films has quickly become one the top independent distributors serving the US arthouse market.  With a focus on foreign-language cinema, Music Box’s release of Guillaume Canet’s TELL NO ONE was the most popular foreign-language film of 2008. Other upcoming releases in 2010 include the French gangster epic MESRINE starring Vincent Cassel and France’s comedy sensation OSS 117: LOST IN RIO.  Music Box Films is independently owned and operated by the Southport Music Box Corporation which also owns and operates the Music Box Theatre, Chicago’s premiere venue for independent and foreign films.