D-War, a sci-fi/special effects thriller about a giant snake that attacks Los Angeles, grossed $20.3 million in its first five days at South Korean theaters, according its its distributor, Showbox. The English-language movie from comedian-turned-director Shim Hyung-Rae, defied early critical reviews and came close to setting a new box-office record in South Korea. Nevertheless, it's reportedly the most costly film ever made in that country, with some estimates coming in at at over $150 million. (A new, state-of-the-art effects studio was created for the production a la Peter Jackson's WETA in New Zealand.) The film is due to be released in the U.S. on September 14 under the title Dragon Wars.