International Box Office Stolen!

December 22, 2004

For the first time in many weeks there was a real race for top spot on the international charts, also, for the first time in many weeks The Incredibles didn't win that race. Boosted by debuts in 22 additional markets, Ocean's Twelve took top spot with $28.9 million on 3900 screens in 27 markets for a early total of $35.2 million. Compared to the original the results are mixed. IN many places it is a lot lower when compared in local currency, but thanks to the Dollar's extended losing streak, it's much higher in American funds. For instance, the film opened in first place in France with 5.7 million Euros, down 16% from its predecessor, however, that's $7.5 million in American funds, a increase of 28%. Other highlights include $5.3 million in Germany, $3.5 million in Spain, $2.2 million in Italy and $1.4 million in both Holland and Switzerland and just shy of $1 million in Sweden. The film remained in first place in Australia despite dropping 50% at the box office to just $1.8 million.

Close behind was The Incredibles with $26.7 million on 7000 screens in 37 markets for a total of $189.5 million and should cross $200 million by tonight, just the 8th film to do so this year. The film finished first in both its debuts over the weekend earning $3.5 million in Mexico on 680 screens and $1.8 million in South Korea on 221 screens. In both cases that's a small drop from Finding Nemo's results. The film also performed well in a number of holdover markets including Germany where the film was down only 34% during its sophomore stint.

Holiday season helped Polar Express stay in third place on the international charts with $11.3 million on 5700 screens in 46 markets for a running tally of $64.2 million. The film saw its weekly take increase in France, (19% bigger) and Australia (4% larger.) However, with only a few mid-level markets left to open in, the film has most likely peaked at the box office.

With only two openings in smaller markets, Bridget Jones: Edge of Reason fell to fourth place on this weeks chart with $11.1 million on 3700 screens in 31 markets for a total of $153.9 million so far. The film opened in Greece with $275,000 on 38 screens and Thailand with $233,000 on 35 screens.

Rounding out the top five is Howl's Moving Castle, which earned $6.7 million during its fifth weekend in Japan and now sits at $95.3 million in that market alone.

Other highlights on the international scene include:

• Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events opened day and date in four markets, but wasn't overly impressive in any of them. The best result came in the U.K. where the film finished first with $4.3 million on 452 screens. The film finished a close second in Australia with $1.6 million on 222 screen and in New Zealand it took in $250,000 on 50 screens. However, the film bombed in Portugal with a mere $132,000, also on 50 screens. Add it up and you get $6.2 million for the weekend on 774 screens in 4 markets.
• Andrew Lloyd-Webber's The Phantom of the Opera bombed in every market it has opened in this past weekend. It's best premiere on a per theatre basis came in Spain where the film manage $751,000 on 253 screens while it could only bring in $885,000 on 430 screens in Germany and $199,000 on 133 screens in Italy. In its two holdovers the results were much better as the film dropped just 23% in the U.K. and 33% in South Korea. Overall the film could only manage and estimated $5 million to raise its international tally to $12.8 million in 11 markets.
• Thanks to a $1 million opening in Taiwan, National Treasure added another $4.9 million to its international total, which currently sits at $42 million after opening in 17 markets.
• Shrek 2 made its final debut in Italy and it looks like the seven month wait didn't hurt its box office. The film topped the charts with $4.2 million on 300 screens. Currently the film has earned $452.1 million internationally and is just a week away from topping both The Lion King and The Matrix Reloaded for 11th spot on the all time charts. However, that as far as the film will go, barring a re-release, as The Phantom Menace is out of reach.
• The Terminal opened in Japan over the weekend, the final international market for the film. And while it wasn't able to top local champ, Howl's Moving Castle, it did earn $3.8 million on 274 screens, which was enough to push its international tally past the $100 million milestone with $103.5 million.
• As expected, Blade: Trinity saw steep drop-offs in every international market during its second weekend of release, however, it is close to passing its predecessors in many of these markets. For instance, in Singapore the film dropped by nearly two thirds, but will have passed both of the previous films in the franchise by the time this column is published. In the U.K. the film dropped nearly 50% to $1,845,000 and now sits at $8.6 million there compared to totals of $10 million for the first film and $13 million for the second. Overall the film brought in $3.4 million on 1100 screen in 6 markets for a running total of $13.8 million.
• Alien vs. Predator opened in Japan, the final market for it do so, but it could do no better than a fourth place finish with $2.9 million while playing on 380 screens. However, with an international box office of $77.1 million it should have no trouble topping its domestic haul of $80.3 million.
• Christmas with the Kranks continues is limp performance internationally adding $2.6 million on 1700 screen in 27 markets for a box office of $14.6 million so far. Highlights of the weekend include its nearly $1 million haul in its third weekend in the U.K., good enough for sixth place, and its fourth place $500,000 box office in Australia.
• After getting off to a strong start in Italy, Closer saw its weekend haul cut in half to just $800,000 for a total of $2.9 million in that market.
• Team America: World Police spent its third weekend in the top five in Australia taking in $400,000 to add to its $2.8 million total in the market and $3.0 million international total.
• Another film making its final international debut was Garflield, which debuted in China over the weekend, however, the film could only bring in $384,000 on 175 screens. But with $120.2 million internationally and just shy of $200 million worldwide, the film was a box office success already.
• Birth stumbled in its debut in Italy with just under $200,000 on 133 screens Aided by this result, the film should pass its domestic box office by next weekend.
• Ella Enchanted landed with a thud in its British debut. Playing in 261 theatres, the film could finish no better than 8th place with just $190,000. Films with similar target demographics tend to do poorly internationally, but the film should have at least done well in the U.K. At least it made it to $1 million in Australia after three weeks with $160,000 this weekend.
• Garden State dropped a mere 22% during its second weekend in the U.K landing at $190,000 and ninth place. So far the film has earned $1.8 million internationally, which would have been looked upon as an impressive total so far, if it didn't earn more than $26.7 million domestically.
• Latter Days opened in Hong Kong on just one screen but was able to make the top ten finishing in 9th place, however, further box office details are unavailable at this time.

Source: Variety

Filed under: International Box Office, Shrek 2, The Incredibles, The Polar Express, National Treasure, Ocean's Twelve, Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, AVP: Alien Vs. Predator, The Terminal, Garfield: The Movie, Christmas with the Kranks, Blade: Trinity, The Phantom of the Opera, Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason, Closer, Team America: World Police, Garden State, Ella Enchanted, Birth, Latter Days