International Top Five - Bean Battles Spartans to a Draw

April 4, 2007

Mr. Bean's Holiday won the weekend race on the international charts. Maybe. It all depends on how you count previews.

Without last week's previews in the U.K. the film finished a very close second with $29.28 million, just behind 300's $30.26 million. Including previews, Bean topped the charts with $34.27 million on 3,085 screens in 26 markets for a total of $36.59 million.

Of its 24 debuts this weekend, Mr. Bean's Holiday finished first in 21, led by a dominating performance in the U.K.. In its native market, the film took in $12.62 million on 512 screens (including previews). Other massive openings include Germany at $5.60 million on 845 screens and Australia at $3.07 million on 347 screens. Meanwhile, the film was strong in Spain coming in second with $2.38 million on 282 screens and in Russia with $978,300 on just 115 for clearly the best per screen average in the top ten there. Up next for the film is Italy and Mexico this weekend while it doesn't open here until August. However, while it appears to be headed for $200 million internationally, it might not top its current tally of $36.59 million here.

It was a milestone weekend for 300 as it crossed $100 million despite slipping to second place overall. The film made $30.26 million on 5,041 screens in 46 markets for a total of $126.31 million internationally. It didn't open in any major markets, but did take first place in two midlevel markets, scoring $2.7 million on 522 screens in Brazil and $650,000 on 91 in Argentina. However, it was holdovers that led the way with the U.K. adding $4.49 million on 377 screens to its total of $17.80 million, Italy earning $2.85 million on 470 screens for a total of $9.44 million, and Spain bringing in an addition $2.77 million on 539 screens for a total of $12.15 million. Meanwhile in Greece, the film cracked the $10 million mark and is now the fourth highest-grossing film of all time in that market and should continue to climb that chart.

Meet the Robinsons started its international run in third place with $9.42 million on 3,519 screens in 22 markets, which is hardly the kind of start you expect from a Disney film. Its biggest market over the weekend was the U.K. where it scored $1.90 million on 459 screens, but that included previews and was still only enough to grab third place. On the other hand, the film did finish first in Mexico with $1.82 million on 595 screens, but it was a kids movie so it was expected to finish first. Other openings range from reasonable in Spain with $1.56 million on 436 screens, to disappointing in Australia with $767,000 on 292 screens, to utter disaster in Germany at $501,000 on 651.

Bridge to Terabithia went from missing the top 30 last weekend to placing fourth this weekend with $4.49 million on 1,814 screens in 15 markets for a still early international total of $20.09 million. The film was aided by third place finishes in two major markets, France and Italy; in each of these markets the film earned more than it did in total last weekend. In France it earned $2.4 million on 568 screens while in Italy it managed $1.37 million on 315. The rest of the month is rather slow for the film, but things will pick up again in May when it opens in the U.K.

Music and Lyrics closed out the top five with $4.26 million on 2,342 screens in 44 markets for a total of $74.93 million on the international scene. The only opening of note was in Belgium where it placed second with $296,000 on 51 screens over the weekend and $480,000 in total. Germany was the film's biggest market, again, with $876,000 on 589 screens for a total of $9.52 million after four weeks. The film has yet to open in Spain and Japan (as well as smaller markets), and could hit $100 million before it is done.

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Filed under: International Box Office, Meet the Robinsons, Bridge to Terabithia, Music and Lyrics, Mr. Bean’s Holiday, 300