Sharks do a Double-Take

October 20, 2004

Thanks to mostly unopposed openings several more markets, Shark Tale was able to repeat as the international box office champ this week. Not only that, but its $29.6 million more than doubled its international tally prior to the start of the weekend as the film now sits at $56.2 million. The best opening of the weekend, and most likely of its international run, was in the U.K. where the film managed to take in $9.1 million, ($13.6 million if you include last week's previews.) In France the result was strong with $4.2 million but in the face of local competition, it could only manage $3.4 million in Germany.

Boosted by solid openings in Italy, Spain, South Korea, Australia and other smaller markets, , Collateral climbed into second spot this week with $11.2 million. After opening in only 19 markets the film has already earned nearly $60 million and should match its domestic total.

Sticking around in third place with $6.1 million in 34 markets was The Terminal. With only one debut, ($620,000 in Russia) the film relied on strong holdovers to earn its take. Holdovers like the mere 15% drop in Germany and the even more impressive 12% drop in Austria. Those two markets combined for nearly half the films weekend box office.

Resident Evil: Apocalypse's international run is being plagued by the same steep second weekend drop-offs that haunted it Stateside. This week it was a 48% drop in the U.K. and an even worse 50% drop in France. Even so, the film managed another finish in the top five with $5.3 million, boosting its international total to $48.5 million.

White Chicks's week was a lot better than last week, but it would be hard for it to be much worse. This weekend it managed a $1.6 million, second place finish in the U.K., however, it's less impressive when compared to the number one film there, Shark Tale. In Spain the film faired even worse with just $941,000. Better than expected holdovers did help the film jump into the top five with $4.5 million on 1600 screen in 20 markets for a running total of just $16.4 million.

Other highlights on the international scene include:

• Man on Fire bombed with a $1.1 million, seventh place finish in France. For the weekend it managed $4 million to push its running tally to a mere $28.9 million.
• The French film L'Enquête Corse held up well in its second weekend in France with $3.0 million raising its total in the market to $7.9 million.
• After three weeks at top spot, Downfall dropped to third with $2.8 million in Germany. The film has earned $28.4 million in that one market alone.
• The South Korean film, My Brother, earned another first place finish it its home territory. This week it earned $2.4 million pushing its running total to $7.8 million.
• The Bourne Supremacy could only manage $2 million over the weekend, but next week looks much better as the spy film opens in Germany.
• Buoyed by a $300,000 start in Taiwan, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story pulled in $1.8 million over the weekend for a $45.5 million international total so far. However, even with openings in Japan and Italy yet to come, this is a disappointing result when compared with its surprising success domestically.
• Bride and Prejudice dropped to fourth place in the U.K. with $1.6 million lifting its tally to $5.9 million so far.
• Five weeks and counting. That's how long I, Robot has topped the Japanese Box Office. This week it took in $1.3 million there and $1.6 million overall. Its international tally now sits at $187 million, including $29 million from Japan alone.
• Saw continues to impress in the U.K. dropping just 15% during its third weekend there. The $1.5 million it earned pushed its total in the market to $8.1 million.
• Garfield debuted in Thailand with $404 thousand. Overall the film earned $1.4 million to raise its international total to an impressive $114.1 million.
• With no new openings this week, Wimbledon's weekly take dropped to $1.4 million with a international tally of just $16 million.
• Hero dropped to second place in Italy with $1.1 million, which was enough to push its international total to $113 million.
• Exorcist: The Beginning bombed in Japan where it could only manage just over $500 thousand, about half of its $1.1 million weekend. After debuting in 13 markets the film as only manage $4 million so far.
• Hellboy held up reasonably well in Italy, and that helped the film earn $1 million this week for a total of $97 million worldwide.
• Bibi Blocksberg und das Geheimnis der blauen Eulen is one of three German films to finish in the top five in that country. This week the finish finished fourth with $1.0 million to raise its box office to $3.5 million in 3 weeks.
• King Arthur brought in $1.0 million for its third weekend in Italy. Internationally, the film has made $141.8 million, which is impressive, compared to the $51.9 million it made domestically. But a bit of disappointment when compared to its $90 million production budget.
• Layer Cake continues to show strong legs with a $1.0 million in its third weekend in the U.K. So far the film has earned $6.1 million but there is still no domestic release date.
• The Notebook just failed to make it a million dollar opening in Australia with $955,000, including sneaks. The film has not been able to translate its domestic success internationally as the film has only managed $9.3 million so far.
• Bad Education dropped just 20% in Italy, which allowed it to move up a spot with $900,000 and a third place finish.
• A Cinderella Story earned another $850,000, including $200,000 in a limited release in Brazil, to raise its international total to $17.6 million and its worldwide total to $69 million.
• Yesterday Once More debuted in its home market of Hong Kong with an impressive $800,000, first place finish.
• Open Water continues to have mixed debuts internationally. The film could only manage an average $750,000, third place finish in Australia, but early prediction are it will collapse next weekend. Internationally the film has only managed $17.5 million despite opening in most major markets.
• Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind held up very well in its second weekend in France earning another $700,000. That pushed its total in the region to $1.9 million.
• Laura's Stern is showing amazing legs in Germany after earning $700,000 this week, which pushed its total there to just shy of $5 million.
• The Brazilian film, Dona da História, opened in top spot in its native land with $700,000.
• Spider-Man 2 managed fifth place, $600,000 weekend in Italy. That pushed its total in the market to $22.9 million and its worldwide take to $781.6 million worldwide.
• Ladder 49 debuted in three South-East Asian markets over the weekend with two first place and one second place finishes. Overall it brought in $500,000 in Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan.
• It is certainly a boom time for German cinema as Agnes und seine Brueder managed a ninth place, $400,000 opening in Germany, making it the fourth German film in the top ten in that country.
• Inside I'm Dancing could only earn $400,000 and a tenth place finish in its debut in the U.K.
• Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid saw its box office cut in half in Australia to just $400,000. Internationally the film has now made $18.6 million, which pushes its worldwide total to $50.1 million.
• Catwoman could only manage $350 thousand this weekend, but with its Japanese debut just a couple of weeks away, its fortunes should improve.
• Håkan Bråkan & Josef, which is the first Swedish film to feature a CG character opened in its native country with a $300,000, fourth place finish.
• For the second weekend in a row, Alien vs. Predator dropped more than 60% in Australia. This weekend, it landed at just $300,000 and that was only good enough for seventh place. Its international take now sits at $24.7 million.
• Shaun of the Dead's opening in Australia may have been a disappointment, but it held up reasonably well with $250,000. Its $775,000 in the market adds to its $13.7 million internationally.
• Fahrenheit 9/11 opened in fourth place in Hong Kong with $100,000 in a mere 8 theatres. The record breaking documentary now has $97.2 million internationally and $226 million worldwide.

Source: Variety

Filed under: International Box Office, Spider-Man 2, The Bourne Supremacy, Shark Tale, I, Robot, Fahrenheit 9/11, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, Collateral, The Notebook, AVP: Alien Vs. Predator, Man on Fire, The Terminal, Garfield: The Movie, Ladder 49, White Chicks, Hellboy, Saw, Jet Li's Hero, King Arthur, A Cinderella Story, Resident Evil: Apocalypse, Exorcist: The Beginning, Catwoman, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid, Open Water, Wimbledon, Shaun of the Dead, Bride & Prejudice