International Details - Watchmen Slowing Down

March 29, 2009

The top five on the international scene were published on Wednesday and can be found here.

Watchmen fell out of the top five with $6.35 million on 4965 screens in 53 markets for a total of $60.63 million. Unless it is a big hit in Japan over the weekend, $100 million internationally is likely out of the question, as is $200 million worldwide. Depending on how much it costs to advertise, it could still make enough to show a profit, but it could take quite a bit longer than the studio would have liked.

  • Monsters vs. Aliens started its international run a week in advance of its domestic run with a seventh place, $6.20 million opening weekend on 806 screens in 2 markets. It debuted in first place in Russia with $5.81 million on 725 screens, while the rest came from its first place opening in the Ukraine.
  • Confessions Of A Shopaholic added $4.40 million on 1935 screens in 26 markets to its total of $38.38 million. The film had no major openings this past weekend, but it did remain in first place in Australia with $1.14 million on 309 screens over the weekend for a total of $3.64 million after two.
  • Duplicity opened in ninth place with $4.03 million on 1005 screens in 10 markets. This includes third place openings in both the U.K. ($1.16 million on 356 screens) and in Australia ($1.05 million on 224) while the film had to settle for fourth place in Spain with $1.08 million on 301 screens.
  • Dragonball: Evolution plummeted 60% to $3.81 million on 2053 screens in 8 markets for a total of $17.53 million. It did add $3.51 million on 855 screens for a first place finish in China, but that was for the full week giving the film $6.58 million after two. On the other hand, it fell 59% in Japan to just $1.06 million on 539 screens over the weekend for a total of $6.23 million after two. If I were to guess, I would say the film's performance domestically is most likely to resemble its performance in Japan than it is its Chinese box office run.
  • Paul Blart: Mall Cop made its first appearance on this chart with $3.64 million on 960 screens in 7 markets for a total of $5.19 million. The film opened in second place in both the U.K. with $1.88 million on 375 screens and it Australia with $1.11 million on 197. This is not a bad start in these markets, but I highly doubt it will come close to matching its domestic run on the international scene. In fact, it might not hit $200 million worldwide.
  • Knowing also started its international run this week placing 12th with $3.25 million on 468 screens in Russia, where it placed second.
  • He's Just Not That Into You opened in Italy with $1.37 million on 323 screens over the weekend, which was enough for fourth place in that market. Overall in placed 13th with $2.99 million on 1314 screens in 34 markets lifting its total to $53.62 million.
  • Valkyrie returned to the top 30 with $2.98 million on 1401 screens in 10 markets for a total of $107.84 million. Almost all of this came from the film's second place, $2.55 million opening on 324 screens in Japan over the weekend, while including midweek numbers the movie has pulled in $3.95 million in total.
  • The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo remains a major player in Scandinavia adding $2.84 million on 337 screens in 3 markets for a total of $23.15 million. At this point, I wouldn't be surprised if some domestic distributors are taking a closer look at the movie for a possible North American release.
  • The Reader fell from 8th to 16th with $2.69 million on 1127 screens in 22 markets for a total $39.17 million. The lack of major opening hurt, while its best market remained Germany with $1.36 million on 490 screens over the weekend for a total of $13.77 million after four.
  • La Matassa remained in first place in Italy while it slipped to 17th place internationally with $2.65 million on 498 screens over the weekend for a total of $7.94 million after two.
  • The Unborn was down just 34% to $2.61 million on 1366 screens in 30 markets over the weekend for a total of $23.70 million. However, that was enough to see it fall from 9th place to 18th place.
  • Yatterman: The Movie remained in first place in Japan with $2.61 million on 312 screens over the weekend for a total of $17.05 million after three. However, internationally it fell from 11th to 19th place, despite dipping just 29%.
  • The animated film, Otra Película de Huevos y un Pollo, opened in first place in Mexico with $2.43 million on 441 screens, which was enough for 20th place internationally. This is a little bit weaker than its predecessor, Una Pelicula De Huevos, opened with back in 2006, as that movie earned $3.01 million on 435 screens, including midweek numbers.
  • Doraemon: The Movie slipped to third place in Japan and 21st internationally with $2.17 million on 364 screens over the weekend for a total of $11.58 million after three.
  • Bedtime Stories really struggled in Japan with just $718,000 on 267 screens over the weekend, and $1.17 million including Friday. (The weekend in Japan is only two days long, Saturday and Sunday.) However, overall it made $2.08 million on 1118 screens in 17 markets for a total of $102.02 million internationally. It became only the third Adam Sandler film to reach the century mark internationally, (Click and Zohan being the first two) while it is less than $500,000 away from becoming his biggest hit internationally.
  • The International opened in fifth place in Italy with just $591,000 on 170 screens, while it had to settle for sixth place in Mexico with just $190,000 on 150. Overall it climbed a spot to 23rd with $2.08 million on 1247 screens in 35 market for a total of $20.11 million.
  • The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button fell from 7th to 24th with $1.90 million on 1956 screens in 41 markets for a total of $201.83 million. It is only the second David Fincher film to reach that market internationally, Se7en was the first, while it is nearly overtaken that film for the highest worldwide total in David Fincher's career.
  • Hotel For Dogs is coasting on holdovers as it fell to 25th place with $1.87 million on 2407 screens in 41 markets for a total of $37.33 million.
  • Welcome was down just 9% in France, but it still slipped from 22nd to 26th with $1.83 million on 309 screens over the weekend for a total of 4.30 million after two.
  • Drop opened in 27th place with $1.76 million on 140 screens over the weekend and $2.58 million in total, all of which came from the film's fourth place debut in Japan.
  • No major market openings left Underworld: Rise of the Lycans in 28th place with $1.74 million on 1261 screens in 20 markets for a total of $38.38 million after two months of release. With very few markets left to open in, it is very unlikely that this movie will match its domestic total internationally.
  • Gunesi Gordum remained in first place in Turkey while it fell to 29th place internationally with $1.58 million on 355 screens over the weekend for a total of $6.51 million after two.
  • Diverso Da Chi? opened in third place in Italy and 30th place internationally with $1.41 million on 364 screens.
One last note, a movie called Lesbian Vampire Killers opened in fourth place in the U.K. over the weekend with $941,000 on 362 screens. I'm not sure if the movie is about lesbians killing vampires, or the killing by lesbian vampires, but either way, I'm intrigued.


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Filed under: International Box Office, Monsters vs. Aliens, Paul Blart: Mall Cop, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Bedtime Stories, Watchmen, He's Just Not That Into You, Valkyrie, Knowing, Hotel for Dogs, Underworld 3: Rise of the Lycans, Confessions of a Shopaholic, The Unborn, Duplicity, The Reader, The International, Dragonball Evolution