International Details - The Very Best has to Settle for Sixth Place

February 2, 2009

The top five on the international scene were published on Wednesday and can be found here.

The Very Best Film 2, the sequel to The Very Best Film opened in Russia and a handful of other markets this past weekend. It scored first place in its native land with $8.38 million on 948 screens, while it earned sixth place in total with $9.29 million on 1072 screens in 4 markets. This is a serious decline from its predecessor's opening weekend, but still a strong start otherwise.

• Revolutionary Road shot up into seventh place with $8.60 million on 1710 screens in 19 markets for a total of $11.81 million after two weeks of release. This past weekend it opened in France earning second place with $2.66 million on 300 screens, while it also managed second place in Spain with $1.84 million on 225. On the other hand, it struggled in Japan with $933,000 on 267 screens for fifth place and opened in ninth place in Australia with $542,000 on 145.
• Red Cliff 2 slipped out of the top five $7.67 million on 1691 screens in 6 markets for a total of $42.22 million. It opened in first place in South Korea with $2.08 million on 522 screens over the weekend and a total of $2.73 million.
• Italians opened in Italy with $7.10 million on 611 screens. This was enough for first place in that market and ninth place internationally.
• Australia fell out of the top five, again, with $6.70 million on 3596 screens in 32 markets for a total of $130.35 million. The film opened in Brazil but only managed fifth place with $418,000 on 173 screens, while it added $1.51 million on 445 screens over the weekend in Italy for a total of $4.79 million after two week.
• Bolt climbed back into 11th place with $6.30 million on 2523 screens in 32 markets for a total of $91.35 million, while it crossed $200 million internationally. Its biggest market of the weekend was Germany where it opened in third place with $2.55 million on 502 screens. The film opens in France and the U.K. this coming weekend, which should be enough to push it over $100 million internationally, while the time it ends its run in Japan in August, the film should have made $250 million worldwide.
• The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button climbed a spot to 12th with $6.16 million on 1336 screens in 16 markets for a still early total of $22.49 million. It opened in first place in Greece with $1.32 million on 91 screens. Meanwhile it had a nearly identical result in Mexico during its sophomore stint there with $1.32 million on 350 screens, which was enough for first place over the weekend and $3.57 million after two.
• Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa had one of the worst week-to-week showings on the international chart down more than 40% to $5.28 million on 4310 screens in 39 markets for a total of $388.98 million internationally and $567.84 million Worldwide.
• Underworld: Rise of the Lycans opened internationally, but landed in just 14th place with $4.90 million on 808 screens in 22 markets. Granted, most of these markets were of the smaller variety, but it did open in Australia with $1.06 million on 147 screens earning fourth place in the process.
• Bride Wars added $4.47 million on 1322 screens in 23 markets for a total of $17.39 million. Of this weekend haul, $1.30 million was earned on 341 screens in the U.K. and it now has $7.72 million. Meanwhile in Australia, it earned $1.27 million on 287 screens over the weekend for a total of $4.42 million after two.
• Bedtime Stories earned $4.18 million on 2668 screens in 24 markets for a total of $74.54 million. The film opened in third place in Brazil with $725,000 on 205 screens and in second place in Poland with $400,000 on 115. On the other hand, it bombed in South Korea with $190,000 on 249 screens over the weekend and $234,000 in total.
• Transporter 3 added $3.68 million on 1271 screens in 20 markets for a total of $54.62 million internationally and $86.34 million worldwide, making it the biggest hit in the franchise. Over the past weekend, it opened in third place in Spain with $1.59 million on 260 screens, while it added $1.32 million on 482 screens during its third weekend in Germany for a shade under $10.00 million in total.
• Quantum Of Solace opened in Japan with $6.56 million on 345 screens scoring first place; however, that includes some pre-weekend numbers. Overall it made $3.63 million on 578 screens in 19 markets for a total of $391.67 million internationally and $561.04 million worldwide. The film will need to make $35 million or so to catch Casino Royale, and since it has run out of markets to open in, that will be tough.
• Raaz: The Mystery Continues opened in 19th place with $3.49 million on 997 screens in 11 markets, which is acceptable for an Indian film. Acceptable, but nothing more.
• Changeling climbed into 20th place with $3.09 million on 1368 screens in 39 markets for a total of $47.04 million. The film opened in Germany and South Korea over the weekend earning ninth in the former with $641,000 on 199 screens and sixth in the latter with $266,000 on 206 screens over the weekend and $333,000 in total.
• Beverly Hills Chihuahua pulled in $2.82 million on 903 screens in 8 markets over the weekend for a total of $32.27 million. I was expecting more from this film overseas.
• Silver Medalist opened in China with $2.62 million on 825 screens. This was enough for 22nd place internationally, but its ranking in China is unknown. (If I was to guess, I would say second place.) This is an excellent start for a film that cost between 10 million and 15 million Chinese yuan to make (or about $1.8 million in American).
• Defiance slipped out of the top 20 with $2.51 million on 1111 screens in 9 markets for a total of $11.97 million. Italy saw the film earn $588,000 on 188 screens, which was enough for eighth place, while it added $453,000 on 281 screens in the U.K. over the weekend for a totalof $4.45 million after three.
• Chandni Chowk to China had the worst week-to-week performance in the top 30 down 68% while falling from seventh place to 24th with $2.49 million on 1134 screens in 19 markets for a total of $11.75 million. However, to be fair, these drop-offs are common for Indian films.
• Kansen Rettô, a.k.a. Pandemic, fell to second place in Japan and 25th place internationally with $2.49 million on 324 screens over the weekend for a total of $8.76 million in total.
• The French film, De L'Autre Côté Du Lit, added $2.46 million on 616 screens in 3 markets for a total of $11.81 million.
• Journey to the Centre of the Earth nearly fell out of the top 30 with $2.42 million on 346 screens in 4 markets for a total of $132.22 million. Of its weekend box office, $2.03 million was earned on 273 screens in Italy, and the movie now has $5.57 million after two weeks of release.
• Hotel for Dogs reached the top 30 for the first time during its short theatrical run with $2.23 million on 734 screens in 7 markets for a total of $3.75 million. Its biggest market was Mexico where it earned $973,000 on 366 screens; this was enough for second place in the market, but less than I was expecting.
• Envoyes Tres Speciaux opened sixth place in France with $180 million on 473 screens. Overall it place 29th with $2.16 million on 514 screens in 3 markets.
• Rounding out the top 30 was Marley & Me with $2.12 million on 1146 screens in 16 markets for a total of $16.53 million after a month of release.

Filed under: International Box Office, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, Quantum of Solace, Marley & Me, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Bolt, Bedtime Stories, Journey to the Center of the Earth, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, Hotel for Dogs, Bride Wars, Australia, Underworld 3: Rise of the Lycans, Changeling, Transporter 3, Defiance, Revolutionary Road, Silver Medalist, Chi Bi Juezhan Tianxia