International Box Office: The Force Awakens Sets Global Opening Record with $529 million

December 23, 2015

As expected, not opening in China cost Star Wars: The Force Awakens the international opening weekend record, as it earned $281 million, which is behind Jurassic World’s opening international weekend of $316.1 million. However, The Force Awakens did set the worldwide opening record with $529 million, just ahead of Jurassic World’s mark of $525 million. This is especially impressive, as Jurassic World opened with just over $100 million in China. Even a slower than expected opening in China would have given The Force Awakens the first $600 million global opening.

Looking at the film’s individual international markets, the U.K. led the way with $50.73 million in 670 theaters. It also had monster openings in Germany with $27.23 million on 1,086 screens, which is an all-time opening weekend record there. France opened with $21.38 million on 1,093, which was the December opening weekend record. All-time records fell in Australia ($19.61 million on 941 screens) and in Russia ($12.49 million on 2,006). It also topped $10 million in Japan with $10.15 million on 945 screens over the weekend for a total opening of $13.21 million.

The Force Awakens wasn't able to top $10 million in Italy, but still had an impressive opening there with $9.10 million. Spain and Brazil had nearly identical openings with $8.52 million and $8.16 million respectively. The film set an all-time record in Mexico with $7.77 million.

On a slightly negative note, The Force Awakens had to settle for second place in South Korea with $6.71 million on 940 screens over the weekend for $7.97 million there. It was beat by a local hit, The Himalayas, which earned $7.52 million on 1,007 screens over the weekend for a total opening of $10.16 million.

Star Wars wasn't the only film to have amazing success over the weekend. Mojin: The Lost Legend opened in second place with $92.09 million, including $90.48 million from its native China. I guess there was a good reason for The Force Awakens to not go up against that level of competition.

Surprise You’ll Never Think Of: Journey To The West was pushed into third place with $23.50 million for the full week for a total of $41.07 million after ten days of release in China.

The Good Dinosaur slipped a spot to fourth with $9.2 million in 49 markets over the weekend for a total of $93.1 million. It hasn’t quite caught up to its domestic box office internationally and there are reports that the film’s global P&A budget was so large that it will need to earn $400 million worldwide to break even. That seems very unlikely at this point.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 fell from second to fifth with $7.8 million in 92 markets for totals of $341.1 million internationally and $595.5 million worldwide. It will soon become the fourth film in the franchise to reach $600 million worldwide.

The Himalayas opened in first place in South Korea with $7.52 million on 1,007 screens over the weekend for a total of $10.16 million. As already pointed out, it kept The Force Awakens out of first place in South Korea, which is reason enough to celebrate.

C.S.Strowbridge

Filed under: International Box Office, The Good Dinosaur, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2, Star Wars Ep. VII: The Force Awakens, The Ghouls, Himalaya, Star Wars, Hunger Games

International Box Office: The Force Awakens Sets Global Opening Record with $529 million

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