International Details - Truly International Box Office

December 17, 2006

Open Season solidified its chances to reach $100 million with a first place debut in Italy. Over the weekend the film just managed to beat Happy Feet $1.68 million to $1.66 million over the weekend, (with midweek numbers Open Season earned $1.82 million on 430 screens). The film was not as successful in Japan with just $968,000 on 441 screens; with such a small per theatre average, it will likely disappear quickly from charts. Overall it earned $4.97 million on 3451 screens in 51 markets for a total of $87.16 million; and even with no major markets left to open in, it does have a great shot at $100 million before its run is over.

  • Speaking of $100 million, Borat reached that milestone very early in the weekend. Overall it earned $4.74 million on 2401 screens in 22 markets for a total of $104.51 million internationally. Its best market was Australia, but even there is suffer a huge drop-off down 54% to $1.11 million on 279 screens for a three-week total of $10.72 million.
  • Letters From Iwo Jima started its international run in Japan scoring first place with $4.27 million on 401 screens, which is close to three times more than Flags of Our Fathers earned during its debut in the same market.
  • Deja Vu opened in a handful of smaller markets but for the most part had to rely on a strong hold in Spain. In that market it dipped just 15% to $2.09 million on 408 screens for a two-week total of $6.31 million. Overall the film added $3.65 million on 985 screens in 9 markets for a total of $11.70 million internationally.
  • The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause fell to tenth place with $2.61 million on 1398 screens in 14 markets for a still early total of $13.91 million internationally. Its best market remained the U.K. where it added $1.44 million on 389 screens for a three-week total of $7.19 million.
Strangely, while the top ten internationally were American, or American co-productions, 15 of the next 20 were foreign films.

  • I'm A Cyborg But That's Okay opened in in first place in its native South Korea with $2.48 million on 332 screens over the weekend and $3.09 million in total. That's a good start, but disappointing compared to the success many other local films have found in that market.
  • Saw III plummeted to 12th place with $2.48 million on 1277 screens in 26 markets for a total of $58.16 million.
  • Deck the Halls continued to expand its reach, but still saw its weekend haul slip 4%. The film had a disappointing third place debut in Mexico with just $437,000 on 254 screens, but in its defense, the competition was particularly strong. Overall it added $2.27 million on 1184 screens in 31 markets to its early international total of $6.26 million.
  • Love and Honor slipped to second place in Japan with $2.26 million on 353 screens over the weekend and a total of $9.88 million after two.
  • Dhoom 2: Back in Action fell another 43% this week to $2.18 million on 628 screens in 17 markets for a total of $15.96 million. In its native India the film is still setting records with a total of $1.29 million after three-weeks.
  • Seducing Mr. Perfect opened in second place in its native South Korea with $2.16 million on 351 screens over the weekend and $2.56 million in total. Like the number one film in that market, this is an okay start, but below expectations.
  • Perfume: The Story of a Murderer rose to first place in Taiwan with $842,000 on 90 screens while in the Netherlands it opened in fourth place with $206,000 on 49 screens over the weekend and $229,000 in total. That helped its overall weekend box office climb 10% to $2.08 million 665 screens in 12 markets for a total of $93.42 million. Its next big opening in the U.K. on Boxing Day while it doesn't end its international run till well into 2007.
  • Madame Irma started its international run with $2.05 million on 441 screens in 2 markets. All but $28,000 on 6 screens was earned in France, that smaller amount came from Switzerland.
  • The Nativity Story saw its market count double and was able to climb into the top twenty, but that's hardly a reason to celebrate at this point. Market after market the film bombed. In France it earned 16th place with just $200,000 on 225 screens, 13th place in the U.K. with $154,000 on 252 screens, 19th place in Belgium with $27,000 on 22 screens and 20th place in Holland with $10,000 on 33 screens. On the plus side, it was able to hold on much better than expected in Italy down a mere 9% to $660,000 on 340 screens for a two-week total of $1.68 million. Any studio working on a Bible Epic, and there are a couple, should be in full panic mode at this point.
  • After producing several big hits Bollywood stumbled with Baabul. The film opened in 20th place with $1.84 million on 586 screens in 15 markets. It did very well in the U.K. with $570,000 on 45 screens, but struggled in India finishing in second place. (Box office figure for its native market were unknown at press time.)
  • The Illusionist saw its weekend haul climb by 24% in Spain to $1.23 million on 206 screens for a total of $6.64 million after four weeks. Overall the film added $1.79 million on 446 screens in 6 markets for a total of $18.15 million, mostly in semi-limited release.
  • Pan's Labyrinth fell 11 spots to 22nd with $1.75 million on 644 screens in 9 markets for a total of $24.13 million. This was due to no new openings this week, but it held well in South Korea down just 25% to $658,000 on 131 screens over the weekend and $2.28 million in total.
  • The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning reentered the chart with $1.65 million on 720 screens in 17 markets for a total of $9.73 million. This was almost entirely thanks to the film's fourth place, $1.26 million opening on 227 screens in Italy.
  • Anplagghed Al Cinema fell from first to third in Italy, but that still represents a mere 19% decline to $1.58 million on 353 screens for a total of $7.96 million.
  • Mauvaise Foi opened in fifth place in France with $1.39 million on 216 screens while placing seventh in Belgium with $81,000 on 21 screens.
  • Desu Noto 2, a.k.a., Death Note 2: The Last Name spent what is likely its last weekend on the charts as the Japanese film earned $1.45 million on 585 screens in 4 markets for a total of $43.27 million.
  • Nana 2 opened in fourth place in Japan with $1.45 million on 317 screens over the weekend, which is significantly below the $5000 per screen average that usually separates the hits from the misses in that market.
  • Sunflower held well in its native South Korea but new releases pushed it out of top spot with $1.37 million on 254 screens over the weekend and $7.96 million in total.
  • Muk Gong remained in first place in Hong Kong with $573,000 on 38 screens over the weekend and $1.56 million in total. Adding in other markets and it made $1.34 million on 377 screens in 5 markets for a total of $9.63 million in total.
  • Prete-Moi Ta Main, a.k.a., Rent A Wife fell from 15th to 30th with $1.26 million on 526 screens in 3 markets. The film now has $26.15 million, $23.94 million of that coming from France.
  • Charlotte's Web opened in third place in Australia with $978,000 on 346 screens, mirroring its disappointing debut here.
  • The Covenant started its international run in the U.K. but struggled with just $357,000 on 158 screens earning ninth place in the process.
There were also some running tallies updated for several film:
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Filed under: International Box Office, Borat, The Devil Wears Prada, Open Season, The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, Charlotte's Web, Saw III, Déjà Vu, Little Miss Sunshine, The Illusionist, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning, El Laberinto del Fauno, The Nativity Story, Children of Men, Deck the Halls, An Inconvenient Truth, The Covenant, Letters from Iwo Jima, A Good Year, Dhoom 2, Perfume: The Story of a Murderer