Curse of the Golden Flower started its international run in its native China with a record breaking $12.27 million on 826 screens. That was almost enough to reach the top five falling just short to Arthur & the Invisibles and its $12.47 million.

• New releases pushed Flushed Away into seventh place with $10.46 million on 4348 screens in 33 markets lifting its international total of $48.02 million. Its best debut was in Mexico where it earned $1.15 million on 336 screens finishing with the best per screen average in the top ten there. Its best market overall was the U.K. where it was down 36% to $1.53 million on 464 screens for a total of $11.36 million so far. That's more than it here domestically, taking into account the size of the two markets, but less than expectations.
• Deja Vu climbed a spot to 8th with $8.72 million on 2279 screens in 18 markets for an international total of $22.82 million. The film opened in fifth place in the U.K. with $1.95 million on 363 screens and third in France and Italy with $1.8 million on 447 screens and $1.38 million on 251, respectively.
• The Departed fell out of the top ten with $4.41 million on 1997 screens in 33 markets for a total of $111.98 million. The film held on reasonably well during its second weekend in Germany down 36% to $1.44 million on 432 screens for a total of $4.46 million so far. The film is just a $1 million or so from topping Gangs of New York as Martin Scorsese's biggest international hit, which is the last milestone for the film to reach.
• Letters From Iwo Jima fell 27% during its second weekend in Japan, which is a little on the high side for that market. But it was still able to remain first place there and 13th internationally with $3.13 million on 401 screens for a total of $12.08 million.
• Open Season tumbled from 6th to 14th with $2.42 million on 2333 screens in 43 markets. In Italy it fell from first to fifth with $623,00 on 375 screens for a total of $2.66 million. The sharp drop-off and lack of major markets left to open it put a dent in its shot at $100 million internationally, but with $90.79 million already, it could still get there.
• Borat also tumbled down the charts falling from 7th to 15th with $2.24 million on 1291 screens in 17 markets for a total of $108.82 million. However, since this is so much more than expectations, the studio should still be ecstatic regardless of the film's performance from now on.
• The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause held on better dropping just 26%, but still fell 8 places to 18th. Over the weekend it made $1.93 million on 1275 screens in $16.56 million. Over half the weekend and running total came from the U.K. where it added $1.09 million on 410 screens for a total of $8.55 million.
• Apocalypto started its international run in 5 markets but only managed $1.41 million on 421 screens over the weekend and $1.76 million in total, which was barely enough to land in 20th place. The film managed just seventh place in Germany where it only made $478,000 on 202 screens.
• Saw III had the worst week-to-week drop-off on the charts this week falling 55% and 14 places to $1.11 million on 827 screens in 22 markets for a total of $61.83 million.
• Perfume: The Story of a Murderer fell to 27th place, but it continued its climb to $100 million nonetheless. Over the weekend it added $1.09 million on 638 screens in 11 markets for a total of $95.54 million and should have no trouble reaching $100 million. The film might even get there before it opens in limited release here on the 27th.
• The Wild managed 28th place in its return to the international charts with $1.06 million on 291 screens in 3 markets for a total of $58.95 million. Almost all of that came from Japan where the film earned 8th place with $1.05 million on 276 screens, but that is well below the $5000 per screen average that usual indicates strong legs in the market. This means despite being tantalizingly close, this film will fall short of $100 million worldwide.
• The Nativity Story lost nearly half of its box office this week falling to 29th place with $1.03 million on 1563 screens in 37 markets for a pathetic total of $6.06 million. The film has almost no major markets left to open in, and unless it become a big seller on the home market, it will be a money loser for the studio.
• Black Christmas started its international run in the U.K. but only placed 8th with $716,000 on 232 screens during its debut weekend. Given this figure, the prediction of just over $2 million might be a tad generous.

Date posted: 2006-12-23