After almost a month in second place, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was able to recapture first thanks primarily to a strong start in Japan and a relatively strong holdover in Australia. In Japan, the film opened in first place with $4.3 million on 338 screens, well ahead of the competition. In Australia, the film remained in second place with $3.2 million on 463 screens, down 41% from last weekend and almost five times the second placed film. It also opened in New Zealand, easily taking first place with $875,000 on 80 screens and remains a major player in the U.K. with $975,000 on 422 screens during its seventh weekend of release in that market. Overall Charlie and the Chocolate Factory earned $11.3 million on 4,100 screens in 49 markets this weekend for a $155.7 million running tally. Assuming the studio's share of the domestic box office was 66% and 50% of the international, which are fair assumptions, then the movie is just now starting to show a profit. However, this is better than many films, which have to wait until the home market before the studio recoups their costs, or in fact fail to recoup their costs.

Strong holdovers in Italy and Scandinavia couldn't stop Madagascar from slipping into second place with $7.5 million. In Italy the film fell just 16% to $4.94 million on 467 screens, more than 4 times its nearest competition. In Norway the film fell 25% to $910,000 while in Sweden the film dropped the same percent to $525,000, remaining first in both markets. It's international box office crossed the $300 million mark over the weekend and now sits at $305 million; it's just the third film to reach that level so far this year compared to the seven films that managed that feat by this time last year.

Cinderella Man started its international run with a third place, $5.1 million weekend on 1,650 screens in 11 markets. The film had mostly middling debuts, with only a couple of notable exceptions. In the U.K. the film finished in very close fourth place with $1.13 million on 391 screens, compared to $1.54 million on 283 screens that Million Dollar Baby earned there in January. The film also earned just over $1 million in Spain and just under $1 million in Italy during its debut in those markets. On the other hand, it flopped in Germany with just $390,000 on 400 screens, which can be explained by its negative portrayal of German boxer Max Baer. The film also failed to do any better in South Korea finishing ninth with $20,000 on 18 screens.

Bewitched didn't have any major openings this weekend and that caused it to slip a spot to fourth with $4.9 million on 2375 screens in 41 markets. In Spain the film fell just 35% to $1.0 million while in Germany is rose by 2% to $1.46 million for the weekend and $3.42 million during its run. That was enough to lift the film's box office to $41.1 million international total and $103 million worldwide.

Red Eye captured the last spot in the top five with $4.0 million mostly thanks to a $940,000 opening on 347 screens in Germany and a $1.15 million sophomore stint on 354 screens in the U.K. It also performed well during its second weekend in Australia adding $525,000 on 175 screens there. It is still very early in the film's run, but so far it has brought in $11.7 million internationally and should top its domestic run when all is said and done.

Submitted by: C.S.Strowbridge

Date posted: 2005-09-14