International Top Ten - Records Set as Compass Continues to Lead

December 19, 2007

With two weeks to go, the international box office set a record bringing in $8.6 billion in total ticket sales. Additionally, all six major studios crossed the $1 billion mark during the same year, which is a first. On the other hand, the celebration is tempered by the fact that the American dollar hit record lows against the Euro this year, and was at decade old lows against the Pound, and other international currencies, which helped to artificially inflate the box office numbers.

Expansion helped His Dark Material: The Golden Compass remain in first place with $29.84 million on 6235 in 44 markets for a total of $91.52 million so far. Most openings this week were in midlevel of smaller markets, but it did earn $2.26 million on 400 screens in Mexico and $2.11 million on 379 screens in Italy. The film earned second and third places in those markets respectively, but remained in first place in the U.K. with $6.04 million on 509 screens over the weekend for a total of $24.56 million. It also remained in first place in a trio of other major markets starting with France at $3.69 million on 767 screens over the weekend and $10.15 million in total, Germany with $3.27 million on 836 for a $9.03 million total, and Spain with $2.48 million on 504 for a total of $11.03 million. The film should hit $100 million sometime before the weekend starts, or at the very least early in the weekend, but this week's openings suggest $200 million is closer to the upper end of its potential, not the lower end.

Bee Movie more than doubled its reach this week lifting it into second place with $20.92 million on 4623 screens in 43 markets for a total of $58.80 million so far. Its biggest market of the weekend was the U.K., but it had to settle for second place there with $4.59 million on 435 screens while it also placed second in France with $2.99 million on 803 screens. On the other hand, the film opened in second in Germany with $2.25 million on 686 screens. Its best holdover of the weekend was Australia where it remained in first place with $1.68 million on 362 screens for a total of $5.56 million.

Enchanted slipped to third place despite growing by 40% to $16.31 million on 4038 screens in 29 markets for a total of $54.32 million. The film opened in the U.K. with an impressive $5.13 million on 471 screens, but that was only enough for second there falling just short of The Golden Compass. On the other hand, it was the other way around in Mexico as the film came out on top with $2.80 million on 755 screens over the weekend, and $3.34 million in total.

I Am Legend opened in fourth place with $15.62 million on 1543 screens in 8 markets over the weekend for a total of $19.49 million. The film opened in first place in six of the eight Asian markets including Japan with $5.11 million on 422 screens over the weekend and $6.35 million in total and South Korea with $4.88 million on 491 screens over the weekend and $6.31 million in total.

The Warlords rounded out the top five with $12.46 million on 1269 screens in 5 markets over the weekend for a total of $14.41 million. This includes debuts in its two native markets of Hong Kong where it made $1.08 million on 71 screens, and in China, where we don't have estimates yet.

Hitman expanded into a half-a-dozen more markets pulling in $6.95 million on 2639 screens in 44 markets for a total of $34.61 million. Its biggest market of the weekend was Germany where it opened in third place with $1.68 million on 400 screens.

A pair or Italian films opened in seventh and eighth places with Natale In Crociera topping Una Moglie Bellissima $6.21 million on 584 screens to $4.63 million on 513 screens.

Beowulf had the worst drop-off on the charts this week, again, tumbling 53% to $4.30 million on 3060 screens in 58 markets. On the other hand, the film had amassed $99.42 million by the end of the weekend and will have reached $100 million internationally by Tuesday.

Moving in the other direction was Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium as it shot into the top ten with $3.92 million on 1941 screens in 15 markets for a total of $8.54 million after a month of release. This weekend the film opened in the U.K., but only managed 5th place with $925,000 on 342 screens while it also placed fifth in Spain with $667,000 on 296. On the other hand, the film earned second place in both Australia, ($942,000 on 237 screens), and in Russia, ($913,000 on 344). Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium opens in South Korea today and debuts in Japan, Italy, and France in February of next year. However, at this point, it would take a serious comeback for the film to be considered merely a disappointment.


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Filed under: International Box Office, I am Legend, Enchanted, Bee Movie, Beowulf, The Golden Compass, Hitman, Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium, Tau ming chong