Hitching a Ride

March 9, 2005

We have a new number one at the international box office this week, as Hitch has expanded into 19 more markets, with number one debuts in all but one; it added $21.1 million on 3,000 screens in 25 markets to its early $29.6 million total. Its biggest debut came in Germany, where Will Smith is a huge box office draw; the film brought in $8.8 million on 905 screens, becoming the biggest opening ever for a Romantic Comedy. The film also did amazing business in other German speaking markets (Austria and Switzerland), plus Australia at $2.76 million, making it the biggest opening of the year in all four markets. The only market it failed to crack the top spot was Spain, where it went head to head with Hide & Seek and narrowly missing top spot with 2.56 million on 373 screens. It should be pointed out that horror films do particularly well in Spain, so this result is not unexpected. One last note, the film also debuted in London on one screen earning $101,395.

Meet the Fockers finished in a virtual tie with Constantine - $11.80 million to $11.76 million. The film only had one opening this weekend but it was weak in its debut in the Czech Republic with $84,000 on 22 screens. That was enough to help push the film just past $200 million with two major markets ahead (Japan and South Korea).

Constantine had a number of number one opening in several smaller markets like Greece ($516,000 on 52 screens) and Sweden ($411,000 on 61 screens). But without a major market opening, it saw its weekly take tumble nearly 40% to $11.76 million, to lift its international total to $72.5 million after debuts in 33 markets. Hitting $100 million is guaranteed, with the only real question is whether the film reaches that milestone before or after it opens in the U.K.. Since the film's holdovers are quite weak (for instance the film dropped 57% during its second weekend in Australia to just $1.03 million), this may be more difficult.

Thanks to a number one debut in Spain, Hide & Seek stuck in the top five with $8.5 million over the weekend lifting its international total $35.2 million after debuts in 28 markets. The largest chunk of that came from its $2.6 million opening in Spain, but the film is still doing well in the U.K. with $1.298 million, good enough for second place but down 58%.

There may have been practically no Oscar Bounce for Million Dollar Baby domestically, but it was another story on the international scene as the film bounced back into the top five with $7.5 million. In Australia the film climbed 24% to $539,000 and up a place to fourth; in Spain the film jumped 41% to $1.7 million and third place, and in Italy it shot up 61% to $1.8 million, climbing from fifth to second place. But that's nothing compared to the U.K. where the film when from 21st to 8th place - rising 420% to $600,000.


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Source: Variety

Filed under: International Box Office, Meet the Fockers, Hitch, Million Dollar Baby, Constantine, Hide and Seek