Slump Spreads Internationally

June 26, 2005

The international box office is suffering even more than the domestic box office is. In Germany the first six months of 2005 are down 14% compared to the same period in 2004 and Australia also saw double digit decline slipping by 12%. In Spain the total box office is down 8% and it was little better in France at 6%. The U.K. also fell, but at a much more reasonably 1.9%.

  • It was a local film that topped the box office charts in France. Les Poupees Russes, a.k.a., The Russian Dolls, opened with $3,673,002 on 550 screens, which was well ahead of Batman Begins's $2,660,438 and enough to put the film in fifth place in the international charts.
  • Samurai Commando 1549 had an uncharacteristically sttep decline during its second weekend in Japan falling from first to third with $2,199,149. That was 31% less than its debut, but still enough to lift the film to $7,912,483 so far.
  • Rules of Dating had the best week-to-week drop-off in its native South Korean dipping by 39% to $2,074,356 for the weekend and $7,399,438 during its run.
  • A Bold Family slipped to third place in South Korea down 42% from its opening; this week it added $1,749,431 to its $6,093,427 running tally.
  • Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy fell by 58% during its second weekend in Germany, (which was actually one of the better results in the market) it landed at third place with $1,334,616 for a two week total of $4,489,430. In Austria the film had a similar result, (down 59% to $151,696 for a $562,121 running tally.) That helped push the film's international total to $36.4 million with most major markets still to come.
  • Sahara fell by 42% during its second weekend in Japan, the second worst week-to-week drop-off in the top ten there, the film made $488,517 on 156 screens for a $2,126,576 running tally. The film performed even worse in its third weekend in France tumbling 62% to just $185,786 on 300 screens for a total of $1,965,932 in the market. The situation was little better in Germany with a 56% drop-off and a $532,316, fourth place weekend. With $3,387,194 after three weeks, Germany should become the film's second best market of an international run that has only netted the film $39 million.
  • Post holiday plus massive, massive competition left The Longest Yard hurting to the tune of 57% in its third weekend in Australia. The film did manage $1,034,086 for a three-week total of $6,766,720, which is the lions share of its $8.3 million international total.
  • Monster-In-Law saw steep drops across the board this weekend, 55% in the U.K. to $283,014, 54% in Austria to $129,146 and 56% in Germany to $498,604. That was enough to push the film to $21.5 million internationally and past $100 million worldwide, the 17th film from 2005 to do so.
  • Stiff competition pushed The Interpreter down 56% in France to just $757,018 for a $2,895,374 two-week total in the market.
  • The Ring 2 opened in Japan, but audience there obviously preferred to watch the original and not the remake as the film could do no better than 5th place with $737,877 on 228. To make matters worse, its $3,236 per screen average suggests a very short run there.
  • Million Dollar Baby is starting to slip on the Japanese charts falling 35% this week to sixth with $700,796. Another weekend like that and the film will hit $10 million in the market as it currently sits at $9,207,961.
  • The Pacifier fell by 54% during its second weekend in France to just $683,504. That helped lift its total in the market to $2,491,819 while the film has made $76 million internationally.
  • House of Wax couldn't maintain it's momentum in Germany falling 56% to $282,902 for the week and $1,849,643 in total. In the U.K. was marginally worse with a 59% drop-off for a $280,825 week and $5,135,182 total.
  • Texas Chainsaw Massacre finally opened in South Korea with a fourth place $513,645 debut on 118 screens. The film has now made $27 million international, which is well above its production budget.
  • The Forgotten had the worst week-to-week drop-off in the top ten in Japan plummeting by 51% to $448,209. This will most likely be the last weekend for the film in the top ten there but its $4,661,191 total there should rise enough to become the best in the film's $50 million international run.
  • Kung Fu Hustle started slow in France but fell fast; during its second weekend in the market the film took a tumble to just $348,489 on 320 screens for a $1,379,780 running tally. Still, the film has pushed its international total to $73.7 million with a couple of major / midlevel markets to go.
  • Laws of Attraction opened in semi-limited release in Germany earning $236,853 on 74 screens, which isn't that bad a start all things considered. It's certainly one of its better openings in an international run that has only brought in $11.4 million.
  • The League of Gentlemen's Apocalypse is showing why making a movie from a TV show is a risky venture. This weekend it had the worst week-to-week drop-off in the U.K. crashing 68% to just $219,698 on 196 screens. Even with its low production budget, $2,370,053 after three weeks isn't enough to show a profit.
  • Millions just hung onto the last spot in the top ten in the U.K. with $122,920 for a $2,486,084 four-week total.
  • Ice Princess managed another week in the top ten in Mexico with $120,296, down just 30% from last weekend. However, its $706,582 running tally is not a strong showing, especially in a market that is usually very kind to family films.
  • Primer opened in semi-limited release in Spain with $87,926 on 30 screens, an excellent start for a film that cost just $7,000 to make.
  • Being Julia had the best week-to-week drop-off in the top ten in Italy falling 44% to $84,264 for the weekend and $301,662 since its debut.
  • Like the rest of the Italian box office, Unleashed saw a very steep drop-off this weekend free-falling 60% to $79,932 for a $395,098 running tally. This film cost a lot to make for a British / French co-production, but with only $12.5 million internationally, it won't show a profit for a long time.
  • The Upside of Anger managed $78,912 for the week in Australia lifting its total to $2,766,671 in the market. Films of this nature tend to do poorly internationally, but the film was inexpensive enough that it will show a strong profit before long.
  • A Lot Like Love had the worst week-to-week drop-off in the top ten in Australia falling by 68% to just $79,887. In three weeks the film as managed just $807,608.
  • Pooh's Heffalump Movie opened in Australia but missed the top ten with just $55,941 on 47 screens over the week and $131,189 including previews.
  • My Summer of Love opened in Italy but despite plating in more than three times as many theatres, (63 to 17) it earned less than half of its domestic debut, ($42,644 to $90,022.)
  • Hitch fell out of the top ten in Japan and the last reliable box office number we have for its international run is $183.6 million.

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Filed under: International Box Office, Hitch, The Longest Yard, The Pacifier, Million Dollar Baby, Monster-in-Law, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Ring Two, The Interpreter, Sahara, The Forgotten, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, House of Wax, Danny the Dog, Ice Princess, A Lot Like Love, The Upside of Anger, Pooh's Heffalump Movie, Laws of Attraction, Kung Fu Hustle, Being Julia, Millions, My Summer of Love, Primer