International Top Five - Simpsons Nearly Reaches Nine-Digits
August 1, 2007
The Simpsons Movie started its international run with a bang -- a nuclear powered bang.
The film earned $82.49 million over the weekend on 5,527 screens in 71 markets and now has $96.85 million including midweek numbers and previews.
This is an unbelievably huge opening and one that would have floored analysts not too long ago.
However, it is less than half way to what At World's End opened with earlier in the year and just over half of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Spider-Man 3's openings, leaving it in fourth place for the year.
The film's best individual market was the U.K., where it earned a massive $27.67 million opening on 499 screens, which helped pave the way for the largest weekend ever in that market.
Other major markets include $14.22 million on 754 screens in Germany, $11.32 million on 442 screens in Australia, $9.47 million on 716 screens in France, and $7.57 million on 672 screens in Spain.
The film has also yet to open in Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Italy, Russia, and other significant markets.
I'm a little concerned by the Fanboy Effect and what it could do to the film's legs, but no matter what happens from now on, the film is a financial success, and one that practically demands a sequel.
The nearly worldwide opening of The Simpsons Movie pushed Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix into second place as the competition took its toll.
However, the film still added $48.92 million on 10,318 screens in 58 markets for a three-week total of $450.27 million.
At this pace, the film will become only the 16th film to cross $500 million at the international box office, and it will do it as early as this weekend, while it is already the 28th film to hit $700 million worldwide.
There was not much in the way of openings this week, but the film did dominate Poland, scoring $1.72 million on 176 screens, which was roughly 60% of the top ten.
The film is still earning massive amounts in the U.K. ($6.93 million on 534 screens for a $77.98 million total); Germany ($6.27 million on 983 screens for a $46.33 million total); Japan ($5.84 million on 919 screens for a $32.99 total); and France ($5.20 million on 997 screens for a $38.50 million total).
As for the film's future, $800 million worldwide is practically guaranteed at this point while $600 million internationally isn't out of the question either.
The Transformers was part of a record-breaking weekend in the U.K. and while it had to settle for second place, its haul of $17.71 million on 456 screens was still massive.
(Of course, it also includes $6.4 million in previews.)
Overall, the film earned $44.54 million on 5,331 screens in 47 markets for a total of $249.47 million after a month of release.
The film also went toe-to-toe with The Simpsons Movie and was again limited to second place; however, its opening of $6.68 million on 872 screens is still worth celebrating.
Moving onto holdovers, the film remained in first place in Mexico with $3.05 million on 406 screens for a total of $11.83 million while in South Korea it is about a week away from hitting $50 million during its run after adding $1.55 million on 274 screens to its total of $48.81 million.
Worldwide, the film crossed $500 million this weekend, and with openings in Germany, Japan, and other markets left, it should have little trouble hitting $600 million as well.
Live Free or Die Hard was hit hard this week, falling by 57% to $10.14 million on 4,220 screens in 34 markets for a total of $177.02 million after a month of release.
However, the film had no major, or even midlevel openings so this drop-off is relatively reasonable.
Additionally, with openings left in major markets like Australia, Spain, and Italy, as well as midlevel markets like Brazil and Argentina, it will catch Die Hard with a Vengeance, at least worldwide.
That film's international total of $265 million will be a lot harder to reach.
Ratatouille climbed into the top five and was nearly able to outpace Live Free or Die Hard for fourth place this weekend.
It more than doubled its weekend haul with $10.02 million on 2,467 screens in 20 markets for a still early total of $50.89 million.
This including openings of $4.26 million on 533 screens in Japan, just under $2.00 million on 262 screens in South Korea, as well as $597,000 on 60 screens in the Philippines and $326,000 on 70 screens in Thailand.
It wasn't able to reach first place in any of these markets, but it did out-pace nearly all previous Pixar releases, with the exception of Finding Nemo.
Filed under: International Box Office, Transformers, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Ratatouille, The Simpsons Movie, Live Free or Die Hard