Spider-Man Two ... Hundred Million
July 20, 2004
Another 11 openings, mostly in European markets, helped Spider-man 2 swing to new heights this week on the international charts. This week it earned $62.3 million on roughly 9,400 screens in 61 markets, which pushed it international total to $200.1 million and in just 19 days. Highlights include $15.7 million in the U.K., $11.6 million in France and $7.7 million in Spain. The news was less impressive in Northern Europe where a heat wave hurt the industry as a whole; specifically, this lead to smaller than expected openings in Belgium and Holland and a steep drop in Germany. Worldwide the film has topped $500 million, just the fifth film to do so this year, and the 35th all-time. With Italy the only remaining major opening left, and it doesn't open there till mid-September, the weekly numbers have most likely peaked. However, it should still quickly climb the charts.
Shrek 2 weekly take to a serious beating this week as it was cut nearly in half landing at $24.9 million. Competition is really starting to take its toll. But it was still able to hit $307 million international, and its worldwide total is now well over $700 million. With two more major markets left, (Japan and Italy) the film should have one or two more milestones to cross.
Conversely, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban saw its weekly take barely drop holding at $20.7 million on 6,300 screens in 52 markets. A $5.5 million opening in South Korea obviously helped, but it also held up so well in Japan that it retook first place with $6.4 million. Internationally, the third film in the Harry Potter Franchise has now earned $435.2 million, tops for the year and 13th all time. Worldwide its $673.5 million is second for the year and 18th all-time.
Also holding well on the international charts was Fahrenheit 9/11, which earned $6.1 million dollars. This film is breaking records for documentaries in many markets, just as it did domestically. If the film can have a similar domestic / international split as Michael Moore's previous documentary, Bowling for Columbine, (which earned $36.6 million internationally) then this film should top $250 million worldwide.
Rounding out the top five is a new entry, The Stepford Wives. Helped by Nicole Kidman's drawing power in Australia, the film eared $1.5 million there and $4.3 million internationally. Still, its international total is still just a mere $8 million dollars, not enough for a film that cost $100 million to make.
Other highlights on the international scene include:
Submitted by: C.S.Strowbridge
Source: Variety
Filed under: International Box Office, Shrek 2, Spider-Man 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, I, Robot, Fahrenheit 9/11, Mean Girls, Garfield: The Movie, The Stepford Wives, King Arthur