Kim Chiu, Paulo Avelino Rom-Com ‘My Love Will Make You Disappear' Scores Robust North American Opening Weekend
Filipino superstars Kim Chiu and Paulo Avelino have proven their chemistry translates to theatrical gold with their debut film pairing 'My Love Will Make You Disappear,' which pulled in approximately $500,000 during its opening weekend across North America.
The ABS-CBN Star Cinema romantic comedy, released by Abramorama, is now tracking for a projected $1.3M-$1.5 million theatrical run, positioning it among the top five highest-grossing Filipino films in North America since the pandemic.
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This promising performance follows the distribution team's recent success with 'Hello, Love, Again,' another record-breaking ABS-CBN release. Industry veterans Amorette Jones, Evan Saxon and Joe Garel spearheaded the North American rollout, leveraging the considerable star power of the film's leads.
Chiu and Avelino, with a combined social media following exceeding 40 million, had previously established their on-screen chemistry in two hit television series, 'Linlang' and 'What Happened to Secretary Kim.' While both actors have individually headlined successful films, 'My Love Will Make You Disappear' marks their first time co-starring in a feature film.
The theatrical marketing campaign strategically targeted core Filipino-American audiences while expanding its reach to Asian-American, Hispanic and general moviegoers. The campaign capitalized on the stars' robust fan base to drive social media engagement, formed strategic partnerships with ABS-CBN Global's flagship platform for overseas audiences, and deployed a mix of digital, social and in-platform promotions.
Directed by Chad Vidanes from an original screenplay by Patrick Valencia and Isabella Policarpio, the film continues ABS-CBN's mission of bringing Filipino storytelling to global audiences. The story centers on universal themes of love, resilience and fate while showcasing 'kilig' — the uniquely Filipino feeling of romantic exhilaration — as a cultural export.
In the film, Chiu plays Sari, a woman who believes she's cursed because every man she loves mysteriously disappears. To protect herself from heartbreak, she swears off romance until meeting Jolo (Avelino), a brooding landlord struggling with personal failures and the burden of a failing apartment complex. As they work together to save the community from displacement, their bond deepens, forcing Sari to decide whether she's willing to risk Jolo disappearing too.
Chiu brings her signature charm to the role, drawing on her extensive experience across genres including romantic comedies ('Bride for Rent'), drama ('Etiquette for Mistresses') and horror ('The Ghost Bride'). Avelino, acclaimed for his intense performances in films like 'Heneral Luna' and 'Fan Girl,' balances brooding charisma with humor as Jolo.
The film's strong opening continues ABS-CBN and Star Cinema's momentum in expanding Filipino cinema internationally, following the studio's global success with 'Rewind,' the highest-grossing Filipino film worldwide.
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