International Top Five - Slum Comes Out On Top in Crowded Race

April 1, 2009

Slumdog Millionaire returned to first place on the international chart with $9.59 million on 3123 screens in 52 markets for a total of $170.31 million internationally and $309.86 million worldwide. The film opened in first place in China with $2.93 million on just over 400 screens, which is the best opening for a non-American foreign film for the past decade. It also showed no signs of declining in Germany, where it added $2.37 million on 270 screens during its second weekend, which was nearly identical to its opening, and it now has a total of $5.54 million.

Knowing nearly tripled its weekend haul with $9.38 million on 1729 screens in 11 markets for a total of $13.13 million. The film opened in first place in the U.K. with $3.50 million on 391 screens and in Australia with $1.38 million on 204. It had to settle for second place in Mexico with $826,000 on 317 screens, while it remained in second place in Russia with $1.58 million on 476 screens over the weekend for $5.34 million after two.

Five. Gran Torino has been in third place on the international chart for a full month now, this week adding $8.85 million on 2624 screens in 40 markets for a total of $78.86 million. Its only major market of the weekend was Mexico, but it struggled there earning sixth place with $334,000 on 201 screens. On the other hand, it managed to earn $2.03 million on 470 screens over the weekend in France for a total of $21.64 million after a month of release. Meanwhile it climbed from second to first in Italy with $1.66 million on 323 screens over the weekend for $7.45 million after three. It moved in the other direction in Spain down just 8% to $1.50 million on 263 screens over the weekend for a four-week total of $10.49 million.

Marley & Me added $8.16 million on 3200 screens in 41 markets for a total of $73.02 million. This includes a fourth place, $1.55 million opening on 438 screens over the weekend in Japan, while it has $1.98 million including Friday. That's below the $5000 per screen average usually associated with the difference between the hits and the misses in that market. On the other hand, the film added $2.38 million on 484 screens during its third weekend in the U.K. for a total of $15.37 million. The film opens in Italy this weekend, and it could have a shot at $100 million internationally, depending on how well it opens there and how well it holds up in the U.K. and other major markets.

Paul Blart: Mall Cop climbed into the top five for the first time with $7.79 million on 1572 screens in 14 markets for a total of $14.13 million. It opened in first place in Germany with $4.21 million on 499 screens, which is much strong than its openings in the U.K. and Australia last week, which is unusual for a English language comedy. Although in retrospect it is not unpredictable given Germany's taste in comedy. In the meantime, the film added $1.44 million on 377 screens during its second weekend in the U.K. for a total of $3.94 million.


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Filed under: International Box Office, Gran Torino, Paul Blart: Mall Cop, Marley & Me, Slumdog Millionaire, Knowing