International Top Five - Tres Bien
March 5, 2008
The French film, Bienvenue Chez les Ch'its, opened over the weekend and it performed tres bien, which means very well. ... I think. I may have just said something rude in French. (On a side note, it was one of four such films to chart this weekend, although it was the only one to reach the top five. We will get to the other three on Sunday.) It set records in its native market earning $31.67 million on 793 screens over the weekend for a total of $36.58 million including previews. Overall it pulled in $32.53 million on 838 screens over the weekend for a total of $37.40 million while its per screen average or $38,816 was the best so far this year. For a film that reportedly cost just 11 million Euros to make, which is about $16 million American, this is a fantastic opening. Even if it had a larger than average P&A budget, it is likely that the film has already shown a profit.
Jumper was pushed into second place, but still earned a respectable $12.48 million on 3770 screens in 42 markets for a total of $80.82 million. The film opened in second place in Italy with $1.72 million on 317 screens while it was down close to 60% in France to $1.95 million on 586 screens over the weekend for a total of $7.48 million. It has yet to open wide in Japan and several smaller markets, and should reach $100 million before long, but sharp drop-offs are still of a concern, especially considering its hefty production budget.
Vantage Point expanded into several major markets this weekend and jumped to third place with $11.67 million on 2428 screens in 27 markets for a total of $14.20 million. The film's biggest opening came in South Korea where it scored second place with $2.47 million on 353 screens over the weekend and $2.91 million in total. However, it placed first in Spain with $2.26 million on 373 screens over the weekend $2.36 million in total. Other openings include a fourth place, $2.06 million opening on 444 screens in Germany and a seventh place, $621,000 opening on 274 screens in Italy. There was more bad news as the film fell more than 50% in Mexico, its only major holdover, landing in third place with $410,000 on 281 screens over the weekend and $1.71 million in total. This suggests short legs, however, it is too soon to say if this is the first in a trend, or just an aberration.
Thanks in part to its to its Oscar wins, No Country For Old Men was able to reach the top five for the first time during its international run earning $9.29 million on 1896 screens in 38 markets for a total of $50.26 million. In Germany the film opened in fifth place with $1.29 million on just 138 screens, meanwhile it rose to first place in Italy up 9% to $1.87 million on 308 screens over the weekend and $4.62 million in total. It also earned more than $1 million in Spain pulling in $1.19 million on 307 screens over the weekend for a total of $8.41 million after four.
Thanks to a first place opening in Japan, His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass was able to return to the charts landing in fifth place this weekend with $8.06 million on 792 screens in 14 markets for a total of $265.12 million. In Japan alone, the film earned a hair over $8.00 million on 667 screens, which was more than three times its nearest competition. Depending on how well the film holds on, it could make $40 million in that market alone, more or less. If it can beat that mark, it could have a shot at $300 million internationally, which would be very impressive considering its domestic total, but only mildly so compared to its production budget.
Filed under: International Box Office, Jumper, No Country for Old Men, Vantage Point, The Golden Compass, Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis