International Top Five - Asterix has Olympic-Sized Opening
February 6, 2008
Asterix at the Olympic Games, the latest adaptation of the popular comic series, opened in first place on the international charts thanks to a number of big debuts.
This included a first place opening in its native market of France where it pulled in $23.35 million on 1,078 screens.
Meanwhile, it earned a very, very close second place in Russia with $4.45 million on 550 screens.
On the other hand, the film opened in limited release in the U.K. earning just under $20,000 on 3 screens. It also opened in second place in Germany with $2.99 million on 600 screens while it slipped to second place in Poland with $609,000 on 136 screens for a total of $1.94 million. Overall it now has $38.30 million on 3,002 screens in 19 markets for a total of $39.76 million, which is a great start, but unless it does well in many other markets, it will have trouble making back its budget of nearly $100 million, which makes it the most expensive French film.
Cloverfield doubled its weekly take as it climbed into second place with $18.48 million on 3,133 screens in 32 markets for a total of $35.92 million. Its biggest opening came in the U.K. where it took an impressive $6.89 million on 386 screens while it led the way in Mexico with $1.54 million on 344 screens. It also opened in third place in both Italy with $2.27 million on 286 screens and in Spain with $2.08 million on 363 screens. On the other hand, the film fell 53% during its second frame to $441,000 on 255 screens for a total of $3.68 million while it was down 79% in South Korea to $875,000 on 317 screens for a total of $5.13 million.
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street fell more than 40%, but had no major market openings this past weekend. It was down more than 60% in the U.K., but it still earned $3.38 million on 437 screens over the weekend for $15.78 million in total. It also fell more than 50% in France for a weekend haul of $1.86 million on 369 screens for a total of $6.23 million. Overall the film added $9.25 million on 1,720 screens in 17 markets for a total of $46.62 million and it should cross $100 million worldwide over the weekend.
It was a milestone weekend for I Am Legend as it hit $300 million on the international scene.
It did this with $7.91 million on 3,930 screens in 51 markets for a total of $305.86 million, and it did it with no major or even midlevel openings. The film opens in Russia next week, which is the last market of note, and it should end its run relatively close to $600 million worldwide.
New openings offset declines in holdovers as American Gangster rose to fifth place with $7.36 million on 2,173 screens in 40 markets for a total of $114.84 million. Its best opening came from Japan where it landed in a close second place with $1.70 million on 290 screens over the weekend and $2.26 million in total. Meanwhile, it placed fourth in Mexico with $820,000 on 334 screens.
Filed under: International Box Office, I am Legend, Cloverfield, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Astérix aux Jeux Olympiques, American Gangster