International Details: Jet Li has Nothing to Fear

February 5, 2006

Jey Li's latest Hong Kong production, Fearless, (a.k.a. Huo Yuan Jia) started its international run in sixth place with $7.35 million on 596 screens in 6 markets. The film finished first in four Asian markets including China with $1.39 million, Taiwan with $630,000, Singapore with $605,000 and Malaysia with $590,000. Paradoxically, the film's best market was its home market of Hong Kong, where it had to settle for a close second place with $2.03 million on just 48 screens over the full week. So far there is still no North American release date, but with this start, that should change soon.

• Brokeback Mountain slipped a spot but still held up very well with $6.45 million on 1134 screens in 12 markets for an international total of $23.95 million so far. The film's biggest debut, and arguably best market, was Australia where the film earned a fourth place finish with an astronomical $1.18 million on just 48 screens. That kind of per screen average is something only IMAX films can hope for. The film also Finland with $55,000 on just 5 screens, which was again easily the best per screen average in the market. The film is also doing well in a number of holdovers including France with $1.54 million on 255 screens for a two-week total of $3.4 million, the U.K. at $1.25 million on 284 screens for $10.83 million, and Spain with $1.19 million on 166 screens for $3.34 million.
• Big Momma's House 2 started its international run last weekend and like its domestic run, it did better than expected with $6.32 million on 1118 screens in 10 markets. The film opened in first place in both Australia, ($1.50 million on 190 screens) and Mexico, ($1.59 million on 380 screens). But its biggest market over the weekend was Spain, where it finished second with $2.05 million on 298 screens.
• My Boss, My Teacher remained in top spot in South Korea with $6.07 million on 478 screens for a two-week total of $23.65 million.
• Flightplan finally opened in Japan and easily took top spot there with $5.18 million on 293 screens. But more importantly, the film's $5.26 million weekend on 334 screens in 11 markets pushed its international total to $111.89 million and its worldwide total to $201 million making it the 18th film of 2005 to cross that milestone.
• The King and the Clown is still cleaning up in South Korea adding $4.87 million on 391 screens to its $48.27 million, five week total. That's like a film making $300 million here, given the relative size of the two markets.
• The Japanese film, The Wow-Choten Hotel, fell just 4% during its third weekend of release in its home market, but it still slipped a spot to second with $4.19 million on 281 screens for a three week total of $22.69 million.
• Rang De Basanti was the latest Bollywood film to open day-and-date here and India, as well as other markets. Overall the film made $4.08 million on 407 screens in 17 markets, including $392,000 on just 38 screens in the U.K.
• Match Point continues its amazing international run adding $3.38 million this weekend on 907 screens in 14 markets for a total of $41.62 million so far. The film had no major, or even midlevel openings this weekend, but it is still going strong in Italy adding $1.62 million on 336 screens to its three-week total of $7.83 million.
• Rumor Has It opened in third place in the U.K. with $1.45m million on 329 screens. That was one of the film's best openings and helped its overall box office increase by 15% for a weekend haul of $3.37 million on 1546 screens in 22 markets and a total of $28.04 million so far.
• Underworld: Evolution tumbled in both the U.K. and Australia falling from second to seventh in the former down to $1.06 million on 296 screens for a two-week total of $4.05 million. In the latter it lost half its opening falling from second to sixth with $760,000 on 158 screens and a $2.90 million total. On the other hand, the film did open in first place in Greece with $413,000 and that helped its overall box office to $3.09 million on 790 screens in 7 markets for a early international total of $8.95 million.
• King Kong collapsed this weekend falling from fifth place to 17th with just $2.80 million on 2526 screens in 52 markets. That was 65% lower than last weekend and it means its international total won't increase much more beyond the $316.88 million it currently has. Financially the film has either shown a profit, or will do so shortly, but since many people expected the film to perform much better, including some who thought it would break $1 billion worldwide, its total has too be seen as a disappointment. The curse of high expectations.
• Je Vous Trouve Tres Beau dipped just 13% during its third weekend in France but that was enough for it to fall out of top spot with $2.40 million on 413 screens for a total of $9.31 million so far. Overall the film managed $2.57 million on 435 screens in three market for an international total of $9.81 million.
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire continues to slid down the charts this weekend adding $2.29 million from 2348 screens in 54 markets for an international total of $593.17 million. The only market of note is Japan where the film fell to sixth with $855,000 on 376 screens for a 10-week total of $90.50 million. Internationally the film is in fifth place all-time, but has a long way to go before it can catch Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Worldwide its $879.47 million puts it eighth place All-Time, $1 million ahead of the same film.
• Cheaper By The Dozen 2 is doing about as well as anyone would expect on the international scene adding $2.19 million on 1370 screens in 21 markets for a $37.65 million total so far. This weekend the film opened in fourth place in Russia with $297,000 on 118 screens over the weekend and $331,000 in total.
• Jarhead collapse this weekend fall 54% to $2.19 million on 1656 screens in 36 markets for an international total of just $23.84 million so far. The film still have a few more major market left to open in, but regardless how it does there, the film's worldwide box office will still be seen as a disappointment.
• Eccezzziunale... veramente: capitolo secondo... me slipped to second place in its native Italy with $1.87 million on 495 screens for an two-week total of $6.76 million.
• Prime opened in Switzerland with $180,000 on 24 screens over the weekend and that helped the film add $1.71 million on 322 screens in 6 markets to its $12.04 million international total. Its best market of the weekend was Germany where it was down a mere 15% to $1.26 million on 256 screens for a $3.16 million total after just 2 weeks.
• Mo Gik jumped back onto the charts thanks to its third place debut in South Korea where it earned $1.49 million on 184 screens over the weekend and $1.87 million in total. Overall, the weekend the film added $1.62 million on 267 screens in 3 markets for a $22.47 million international total. Unfortunately, due to a business dispute, there are still no plans to release the film domestically, but hopefully that will change soon.
• Pride & Prejudice earned $1.57 million on 767 screens in 18 markets this weekend for a $53.94 million international total. Highlights include a fourth place, $50,000 debut on 13 screens in the Czech Republic and a ninth place $667,000 sophomore stint in France for a two-week total of $1.90 million.
• Hoodwinked! started its international run with a third place, $1.50 million debut on 409 screens in France. That's close to what the film earned here, after taking into account the relative size of the two markets, but its legs here were amazing and how well it can match that internationally will go a long way in determining its final box office.
• The Fog popped back onto the charts thanks mostly to a fifth place, $785,000 debut on 210 screens in Spain. However, that is still very poor for a Horror film in that market. Other openings this weekend including a ninth place, $128,000 opening on 48 screens in Russia and a 19th place, $37,000 debut on 5 screens in Belgium. Overall the film made $1.49 million on 628 screens in 15 markets for an international total of just $5.23 million so far.
• Bandidas fell to $1.43 million on 636 screens in 3 markets for a $3.92 million international total so far. Typical of the film's weekend was its result in France, where it declined 33% to $885,000 on 396 screens for a two-week total of $2.42 million. On the other hand, the film climbed 5% in Belgium to $135,000 on 27 screens for a $284,000 total so far.
• Day Watch spent its fourth weekend in first place in Russian with $1.40 million on 459 screens for a total of $29.70 million so far.
• Get Rich Or Die Tryin' fell from 15th place to 30th with just $1.38 million on 684 screens in 4 markets for a three-week total of $4.74 million. Its best market over the weekend was the U.K. where it lost nearly half of its opening falling to $757,000 on 249 screens for a total of $2.72 million after two-week.
• Holiday slipped to fourth in its native South Korea with $1.24 million on 159 screens for a $3.71 million total so far.
• Oliver Twist opened in third place in Japan with $1.22 million on 252 screens, just below the $5000 per screen average that usually separates the long-term hits with those that fall off the charts quickly. Overall, the film has made roughly $36 million, which is well below its estimated $60 million production budget, (it cost 50 million Euro, which would be $60 million by today's exchange rate but it was probably more like $65 million at the time the film was made).
• Yamato fell to fourth place in Japan with $1.19 million on 302 screens for a seven-week total of $33.15 million.
• Rowan Atkinson's latest film Keeping Mum, opening in Spain and Australia over the weekend earning $435,000 on 215 screens in the former and $722,000 on 190 screens in the latter finishing in seventh and eighth places respectively. There is no domestic release date, and considering the film hasn't lived up to expectations internationally, it might not open wide here.
• The 40-Year Old Virgin's international run is nearly over but it still managed $820,000 on 210 screens during its third weekend in Italy. That pushed its total in the market to $4.81 million and internationally to $66 million.

Filed under: International Box Office, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, King Kong, The 40 Year-old Virgin, Flightplan, Brokeback Mountain, Cheaper by the Dozen 2, Big Momma's House 2, Jarhead, Underworld: Evolution, Hoodwinked, Rumor Has It, Pride & Prejudice, Get Rich or Die Tryin', The Fog, Match Point, Prime, Rang De Basanti, Oliver Twist, Wu ji, Bandidas