Not Quite Like Heaven

December 18, 2005

Just Like Heaven dipped at the box office falling out of the top five with $4.53 million on 1609 screens in 30 markets over the weekend for an early total of $18.04 million internationally. Its best opening was in Belgium where it debuted in second place with $252,000 on 40 screens over the weekend and $290,000 in total. It also had debuts in Holland with $139,000 on 57 screens over the weekend and $167,000 overall, and in Greece with $116,000 on 24 and Norway with $113,000 on 26. Holdovers include Germany where the film dropped 24% to $890,000 on 273 screens for a total of $2.41 million so far, while in Spain the film fell 39% to 718,000 on 200 screens for a two-week total of $3.09 million.

• It was a milestone weekend for Flightplan as the film topped $100 million internationally with $3.07 million on 1819 screens in 40 markets for a $100.33 million international total so far. It becomes the 20th film to reach that market at the international box office this year, which is below last year's pace.
• In Her Shoes is mostly coasting on holdovers at the moment as no studio wants to go head-to-head with King Kong. Even so, the film did add $2.5 million on 1781 screens in 26 markets to its international running total of $40.99 million.
• The French film, Kirikou Et Les Betes Sauvages, opened in three French-speaking markets earning a combined $2.09 million on 370 screens. Obviously, the biggest market was France with $2.01 million on 333 screens for a third place finish. Meanwhile, it opened in 10th place in Belgium with $54,000 on 27 screens and earned just $30,000 on 10 screens in Switzerland.
• Palais Royale's is quickly losing traction falling to $1.94 million on 545 screens in 3 markets for a total of $13.57 million so far. The lion's share continues to come from France where the film added $1.71 million on 514 screens to its $12.15 million total there.
• The Japanese film, Arashi No Yoru Ni, (which may or may not mean Stormy Nights), opened in third place in its native market with $1.87 million on 297 screens.
• Ole, a French film opened in France and Switzerland over the weekend earning $1.77 million on 550 screens and $23,000 on 5 screens respectively.
• When Romance Meets Destiny had one of the better week-to-week drop-offs in South Korea as it was down just 17% earning $1.60 million 200 screens over the weekend for a total of $10.52 million overall.
• Saw II had no new openings this weekend and that saw it fall four places to 14th with $1.56 million on 720 screens in 9 markets for a total of $28.78 million so far. Its best market of the weekend was Spain where the film slipped to fifth place with $669,000 on 241 screens over the weekend and $3.02 million overall.
• Memoirs Of A Geisha opened in fourth place in Japan with $1.55 million on 341 screens, which puts it below the $5000 per screen average which usually separates the big hits from the crash and burns.
• The Turkish film, Babam Ve Oglum, remained in top spot in its native land while seeing significant growth during weekend earning $1.44 million on 96 screens for a total of $4.95 million so far. By comparison, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire earned $3.45 million during the same four-week period.
• Prime added a few more markets this weekend which saw is climb dramatically to $1.33 million on 459 screens in 6 markets for an early international total of $5.87 million. In South Korea the film opened in fourth place with $656,000 on 125 screens while in Australia the film added $173,000 to its running total of $1.96 million so far.
• Loufa Kai Parallegi opened in its native market of Greece with $1.33 million on 61 screens, which is about on par with Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire's opening.
• The Constant Gardener is starting to shed theatre, and markets, adding $1.22 million on 586 screens in 15 markets to its $21.99 million international total. Its run is far from over as it still has several major markets left to open it, but they all happen after Christmas.
• Perhaps Love opened in first place in its native market with $923,000 on 63 screens in Hong Kong and $1.19 million on 231 screens in 4 markets in total.
• Joyeux Noel, (Merry Christmas) is still doing good business in France adding $710,000 on 515 screens to its five-week total of $11.16 million. However, its run outside its native market is perhaps more impressive. For example, the film earned $203,000 on 145 screens during its third weekend in Germany for a $896,000 total there. Overall the film made $1.13 million on 819 screens on 8 markets for a total of $13.53 million so far.
• It was a good week for holdovers in South Korea and Bystanders was no different as it dropped just 11% to $1.05 million on 235 screens over the weekend and $3.30 million in total.
• Zathura opened in Japan with a disastrous $794,000 on 411 screens; only two films had weaker per screen averages in the top ten, and they have both been in release for more than a month. Overall the film made $997,000 on 503 screens in 3 markets for a total of $3.10 million so far.
• The Japanese film, Pretty Cure Max Heart 2, which sounds like four random words strung together, opened in fifth place in its native market with $976,000 on 180 screens over the weekend.
• Aeon Flux remained in first place in Russia with $545,000 on 215 screens for a two-week total of $1.94 million. The rest of its run was not as strong as it lost nearly half its total opening earning just $940,000 on 378 screens in 5 markets for an early international box office of $3.28 million so far.
• Broken Flowers was practically flat during its second weekend in Italy down just 1% to $450,000 on 129 screens for a $1.28 million total. That was nearly half of the films $902,000 weekend, which was earned on 386 screens in 16 markets and lifted its total to $25.01 million internationally.
• Always - Sunset On Third Street is starting to tumble in Japan down 34% to $852,000 on 254 screens for a total of $18.29 million in that market.
• The German film, Es Ist Ein Elch Entsprungen, remained steady on the international charts just 6% to $761,000 on 619 screens in 3 markets for a $5.35 million total.
• Doom is shedding theatres and markets falling to just $714,000 on 623 screens in 26 markets for an international total of $22.58 million so far. Its best market of the weekend was the U.K. where it plummeted 57% to $461,000 on 232 screens for a total of $2.01 million there but it also opened in South Africa with $75,000 on 42 screens.
• A History of Violence added another $704,000 on 547 screens in 20 markets lifting its international box office to $23.05 million so far. A fair chunk of that came from the film's sixth place, $142,000 opening on 52 screens in Turkey.
• March of the Penguins opened in semi-limited release in the U.K. with $323,00 on 46 screens scoring a ninth place finish in the process. It is still in the top ten in Italy with $165,000 on 169 screens over the weekend and $3.65 million in total while in Germany it fell to 11th place with $136,000 on 374 screens and $7.38 million in total.
• Cry Wolf had openings in a couple of major markets scoring a third place finish in Russia with $235,000 on 120 screens, which isn't that good of a start. But it was better than it did in Germany where the film only managed a ninth place debut with $148,000 on 50 screens. In the mean time, the film added another $227,000 on 119 screens over the weekend in Italy for a total of $1.84 million so far, which is more than the film cost to make.
• Keeping Mum saw its box office in the U.K. cut nearly in half with $595,000 on 301 screens for a total of $2.38 million there. On the good side, that was much better than average in the top ten this weekend, and it was able to remain in fourth place.
• The Three Burials Of Melquiades Estrada added another $497,000 on 234 screens in France for a total of $2.91 million in the market.
• Oliver Twist fell 41% in Spain to $490,000 on 186 screens for a $2.20 million total there.
• Match Point is looking more and more like a major player as it continues its run in many major markets. In Spain, for instance, it added $442,000 on 145 screens for a six-week total of $6.26 million. That's like making $50 million Stateside, which seems unlikely.
• The Brothers Grimm dipped just 12% during its third weekend in Australia for a $244,000 weekend on 128 screens for a total of $1.85 million in the market. In Turkey the film made $146,000 on 43 screens, which is about average for the film's $61.6 million international run.
• Mrs. Henderson Presents fell 60% in the U.K. earning $362,000 on 253 screens for a total of $4.39 million.
• Mellisa P's run in Italy is coming to a close as it saw its box office sliced in half to $359,000 on 184 screens for a $6.88 million total there.
• It was a busy weekend for new releases in France and that pushed Le Temps Qui Reste into tenth place with $354,000 on 129 screens for a two-week total of $1.10 million.
• Domino held up very well in Australia down just 20% to $258,000 on 147 screens, but plummeted 57% during its third weekend in Russia down to $83,000 on 99 screens for a $844,000 total.
• The Cave opened in Belgium but missed the top ten with $28,000 on 3 screens, but at least that was a strong per screen average. On the other hand, it climbed a place in Italy with $266,000 on 117 screens, just 20% less than its opening.
• A Moment to Remember had the worst week-to-week drop-off in the top ten in Japan falling 54% to $265,000 on 192 screens for a total of $23.54 million, which is an impressive run nonetheless.
• The Ice Harvest opened in third place in Iceland with $14,000 on 3 screens. On the other hand, the film struggled in Spain with $249,000 on 150 screens over the weekend and $362,000 overall.
• Serenity remained in tenth place in Germany with $158,000 on 216 screens for a total of $1.13 million in three weeks. That was the majority of the film's $250,000 weekend, and a better than average result in the films $13 million international run.
• King Kong earned $242,000 on 60 screens in Hong Kong during its opening day, but that was enough to put it in second plcae for there week there.
• The Italian film, La Seconda Notte Di Nozze, remained in the top ten in its native market with $171,000 on 88 screens for a $3.85 million total.
• Bad News Bears opened in Australia but only managed an 8th place finish with $159,000 on 143 screens.
• Waiting... opened in ninth place in South Africa with $30,000 on 29 screens while it fell 24% in Australia with $122,000 on 97 screens.
• Assault On Precinct 13 opened in tenth place in Italy with $148,000 on 110 screens over the weekend and $175,000 in total.
• Wolf Creek remained in the top ten in Australia with $140,000 on 121 screens over the weekend and $4.12 million in total.
• Upside of Anger had a slow start in Spain, but a quick decent losing 47% of its opening and landing at $137,00 on 127 screens. On the other hand, the film is already a financial success so there's little reason for the studio to complain.
• The Corpse Bride remained in the top ten in Australia for one more weekend as it added $135,000 on 163 screens for a total of $2.16 million in the market.
• An Unfinished Life slipped out of the top ten in Germany with $131,000 on 127 screens for a three-week total of $767,000 in the market.
• Nanny McPhee was in free-fall losing 71% in the U.K. landing in 10th place with $124,000 on 298 screens. It has earned $28.54 million in the market, which is probably more than it will earn here.
• Shopgirl grew by 5% in Australia adding with $117,000 on 36 screens to its $326,000 total.
• The World's Fastest Indian was pushed into third place in New Zealand but still earned $116,000 on 63 screens for a nine-week total of $3.38 million.
• Neal 'N' Nikki may have flopped here, but it did substantially better in the U.K. with $106,000 on 25 screens just missing the top ten in the process. In Australia it missed the top twenty, but did earn $12,000 on 5 screens.
• Factotum opened in semi-limited release in Germany with $102,000 on 49 screens, which was only good enough for 13th place.
• A Sound Of Thunder plummeted 62% in Russia landing in sixth place with $96,000 on 104 screens for a total of $1.06 million in the market.
• Must Love Dogs opened in third place in Poland with $95,000 on 35 screens, which is above average for the film's $12.2 million international run so far.
• Lord of War opened in third place in South Africa with $93,000 on 45 screens.
• Like many films in the U.K. this weekend, The Transporter 2 collapse losing 71% of last week's haul earning just $89,000 on 107 screens. However, the film has already made a profit, so the studio should be more than happy.
• Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit doesn't have another major opening till March, and this will probably be the last time the film appears on this column till there. But in the meantime, it did add $76,000 on 208 screens in the U.K. for a total of $55.91 million after nine weeks there.
• Good Night and Good Luck opened in semi-limited release in Australia with $63,000 on 22 screens for a 14th place debut.
• Where The Truth Lies fell 57% during its second weekend in the U.K. landing in 17th place with $51,000 on 36 screens for a toatal of $240,000 in the market.
• Roll Bounce opened in Australia with a tiny $12,000 on 30 screens.
• The Devil's Rejects sophomore stint in New Zealand made its opened looking like a blockbuster in comparison. The film was in free-fall dropping by 75% to $4500 on 25 screens for a total of $29,000.
• The 40-Year Old Virgin has fallen off the radar screens and will till it opens in Italy in mid-January, but in the meantime its international box office hit $58.7 million.

Filed under: International Box Office, King Kong, The 40 Year-old Virgin, Flightplan, Saw II, La marche de l'empereur, Memoirs of a Geisha, Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, Corpse Bride, Just Like Heaven, Nanny McPhee, Must Love Dogs, The Transporter 2, The Brothers Grimm, The Constant Gardener, In Her Shoes, The Bad News Bears, Good Night, and Good Luck, A History of Violence, Doom, Zathura, Serenity, Lord of War, Match Point, Prime, Assault On Precinct 13, The Upside of Anger, Roll Bounce, The Devil’s Rejects, Wolf Creek, Waiting..., The Cave, Broken Flowers, Mrs. Henderson Presents, Shopgirl, Domino, Cry Wolf, The Ice Harvest, An Unfinished Life, The World's Fastest Indian, Los tres entierros de Melquiades Estrada, Oliver Twist, A Sound of Thunder, Where the Truth Lies, Factotum, Aeon Flux