Bronze Wins Gold on International Charts

February 8, 2006

Les Bronzes Amis Pour la Vie, which is the latest film in a trilogy that started in the late 70s, opened in its native France and dominated the market. The film made $24.26 million over the weekend, which was more than 60% of the overall French box office. The film also finished first in Belgium with $1.25 million on 41 screens and in Switzerland with $734,000 on 30 over the weekend and $882,000 in total. This film cost 35 million Euros to make, which at today's exchange rate would about $42 million American, and the film should have no trouble showing a profit in its native markets even if it has shorter legs than most films there have.

That pushed Munich out of top spot despite the film adding eight more markets this weekend. Its overall take fell to $13.52 million on 3394 screens in 38 markets for a $34.87 million total after two weeks. New openings include $1.27 million on 255 in Japan, $250,000 on 50 in Greece and $155,000 on 35 in Norway. The film's biggest market overall was France where it was down 41% to $1.57 million on 450 screens for a $4.7 million running tally. Just behind was the U.K. with $1.54 million on 381 screens for a two-week total of $4.95 million, and Germany with $1.52 million on 395 screens for a two-week total of $3.85 million. Other million dollar markets were Spain at $1.29 million on 212 screens and Italy at $1.25 million on 306; so far the film as $3.46 million in the former market and $3.44 million in the latter.

Memoirs Of A Geisha also expanded this weekend and that saw its weekend haul climb to $8.58 million on 1925 screens 29 markets for a $62.58 million total. Its best opening of the weekend was South Korea where it finished third with $1.77 million on 173 screens over the weekend and $2.15 million in total. On the other hand, the film could finish no higher than fifth in Mexico with $414,000 on 80 screens and eighth in Brazil with $185,000 from 80 screens. Holdovers were better for the film, especially Spain where the film was down just 22% to $1.74 million on 240 screens over the weekend for a $8.14 million, three-week total.

Chicken Little didn't have as many new openings this weekend, but it still managed to stick around in fourth place with $8.36 million on 2859 screens in 33 markets for an international total of $139.45 million so far. Its best opening came in Sweden where the film dominated the market with $1.05 million on 149 screens over the weekend and $1.31 million in total. Meanwhile in its second weekend in Germany, the film was down a tiny 15% to $2.79 million on 780 screens for a two-week total of $7.07 million.

Walk the Line started its international run with a fifth place, $7.55 million weekend from 1233 screens in 24 markets. The film's biggest market was the U.K. where the film made $1.96 million on 198 screens over the weekend, but it had to settle for second place. The film's best market was Australia where it finished first with $1.55 million on 249 screens and $1.98 million including previews. On the other hand, the film finished in ninth place in Spain with $428,000 on 204 screens and was only marginally better in Mexico finishing in seventh with $234,000 on 157 screens.


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Filed under: International Box Office, Chicken Little, Walk the Line, Memoirs of a Geisha, Munich