International Box Office: Looper Leads, But Not as Lively

October 4, 2012

Well... we found out why the Chinese box office numbers were extra late this week. There was an accounting error in Looper's previously reported numbers and it took time to sort things out. Instead of making $23 million to $25 million, it made about $6 million. That's actually still really good and better than it performed here, relative to the size of the two markets, but it wasn't a monster hit. The wide gap in the initial reported number and the final figure is an embarrassment, but hopefully it will spur China to build the infrastructure needed to collect box office data faster and more accurately. China might be the most important international market, but studios can't invest money into making movies aimed more at a Chinese market if they can't trust the box office numbers they get. The other numbers we had were accurate leading to a total weekend haul of $22.85 million on 2,506 million in 17 markets. It wasn't a hit in all of them, as it only managed third place in Brazil with $955,000 on 332 screens. The film is just starting its international run, so it is hard to predict where it will end up, but so far most signs are very positive.

Resident Evil: Retribution fell to second place with $18.70 million on 6,681 screens in 65 markets for a total of $137.49 million internationally, which is more than the first two films made worldwide. The film opened in second in France with $1.82 million on 418 screens and in Italy with $1.50 million on 304. However, it only managed third place in the U.K. with $1.28 million on 349. Japan continues to be the film's most lucrative market, as it added $3.38 million on 773 screens over the weekend for a total of $36.01 million after three.

Hotel Transylvania opened in third place with $11.23 million on 2,475 screens in 13 markets. The film opened in first place in Mexico with $3.70 million on 1,105 screens. It managed third place in Australia with $2.15 million on 465 screens, $5.37 million if you include last weekend's previews. On the other hand, it bombed in Japan barely making the top ten with just $448,000 on 204.

Tai Chi 0 opened in China and a few other markets with $9.86 million on 918 screens in 4 markets. This was enough for fourth place internationally.

Ted fell to fifth place with $9.5 million on 2,655 screens in 46 markets for totals of $216.25 million internationally and $434.37 million worldwide. It was surprisingly strong in Hong Kong with a first place $1.35 million on just 37 screens. The film has yet to open in Italy and France, so it isn't quite done yet.

Masquerade added $9.34 million on 935 screens over the weekend for a total of $34.40 million after three weeks of release. It remained in sixth place internationally and in first place in South Korea, its native market.

Ice Age: Continental Drift returned to the international chart in seventh place with $8.52 million on 1,084 screens in 4 markets for totals of $694.44 million internationally and $853.52 million worldwide. As previously stated, it became the highest grossing animated film at the international box office and is on pace to become the first animated film to cross $700 million. The film crushed the competition in Italy earning first place with $7.22 million on 836 screens.

The Assassins opened in eighth place with $8.26 million in 4 markets, mostly from China, but that's all the information we have.

Les Seigneurs opened in first place in France with $7.65 million on 608 screens over the weekend and $8.49 million in total. It opened in third place in Switzerland with $209,000 on 23 screens over the weekend for a total opening of 232,000. Internationally, it managed ninth place with $7.86 million on 631 screens over the weekend for a total opening on $8.72 million.

Rounding out the top ten was The Bourne Legacy with $7.5 million on 2,969 screens in 51 markets for totals of $112.55 million internationally and $224.25 million worldwide. It opened in Japan, but only managed third place with $2.22 million on 501 screens over the weekend for a total opening of $2.96 million. It will likely made a profit on the home market, but I wouldn't risk spending $100 million on yet another installment in the franchise.


-

Filed under: International Box Office, Hotel Transylvania, Looper, The Bourne Legacy, Ted, Ice Age: Continental Drift, Resident Evil: Retribution