International Top Five - Top of the Chart is Truly International
October 16, 2008
We had a new winner on top of the international charts as the Russia film, Admiral (Koltchak) opened in its native market with $11.35 million and $1.47 million in neighboring Ukraine. Its total weekend revenue of $12.82 million came on 1,088 screens, giving the film an impressive per screen average of $11,783. It has to be considered a hit already, but how well it holds on will determine how fast the studio will recoup its $20 million production budget.
Eagle Eye climbed into second place with $11.2 million on 3,113 screens in 41 markets for a total of $30 million. The film opened in first place in South Korea with $3.07 million on 389 screens over the weekend and $3.50 million in total. However, it struggled in both Spain (fourth place with $1.03 million on 340 screens) and Germany (fifth place with $1.18 million on 346 screens). Next up for the film is the U.K. and Japan this weekend, while it doesn't end its run till it opens in Italy next year.
Mamma Mia! slipped to third with an estimated $8 million on 4,100 screens in 48 markets for a total of $390.5 million. This includes Italy, its biggest market of the weekend, where it added $2.05 million on 399 screens for a total of $5.66 million. The film is coasting on holdovers at the moment, and it doesn't have a major market opening until it wraps up its run in Japan at the end of January. However, that market tends to reward musicals and it could push its worldwide total to $600 million when all is said and done. I'm not saying it will, but it is a possibility.
WALL-E's weekend haul fell to $5.8 million on 3,159 screens in 38 markets for a total of $238.6 million. However, the drop-off was explained by the lack of major market openings, while it remained in first place in Germany for the third weekend in a row with $2.43 million on 729 screens and a total of $16.03 million. This is nearly twice as much as Cars had made in this point in its run, but barely more than half of what Ratatouille made in three weeks. Next up for the film in Italy this coming weekend, while it opens in Japan at the beginning of December.
Rounding out the top five was... The House Bunny? Granted, the film opened in a number of major markets, but comedies rarely do particularly well internationally, as comedy is cultural and doesn't translate well. However, the film managed to reach fifth place with $5 million on 1,585 screens in 25 markets for a still early total of $8 million. This includes a first place, $1.57 million on 346 screens in the U.K.. Meanwhile, it did not do as well in non-English speaking markets, but this is to be expected. In Spain it landed in fifth place with $871,000 on 250 screens while in earned seventh place in Germany with $696,000 on 215. If The House Bunny can make half as much international as it did domestically, it will be considered a victory.
Look for the rest of the international numbers on Sunday.
Filed under: International Box Office, WALL-E, Mamma Mia!, Eagle Eye, The House Bunny