The Russians are Coming, The Russians are Coming!

October 9, 2005

Note: It is Columbia day long weekend in the States and Thanksgiving here in Canada. This means the International Details column is a little shorter than usual at the moment. That should be rectified later tonight or by early in the morning when an updated list is published.

Company 9 opened in its native market of Russia with a stunning $5.0 million over the weekend and $6.25 million including the midweek numbers, which is better than Revenge of the Sith's opening in that market. This also means there were two films that did so well in their local markets that they managed to place in the top five overall.

Here's a summary of international results last weekend:

  • Pride and Prejudice continues to hang onto first place in the U.K.. This weekend the film added $2.6 million on 412 screens for a $16.5 million total in its native market. The only new opening of note was in Switzerland where it opened in the German speaking region with $222,000 on 32 screens. Lastly, the film grew nearly 20% during its second weekend in the Netherlands adding $230,000 on 50 screens to its $580,000 running total. Add it all up and you have $3.1 million over the weekend on 494 screens in 3 markets for a running total of $17.3 million.
  • Die Weisse Massai remained in top spot in its native market of Germany. In fact, its box office grew by 12% this weekend earning $2.25 million for the weekend and $8.98 million during its run.
  • Night Watch opened in Germany with $1.45 million on 200 screens and in France with $680,000 on 127 screens; in both markets the film had the best per screen average in the top ten. While in Turkey the film fell 37% to $80,000 on 52 screens.
  • Flightplan opened in Mexico with an incredible $2.1 million, which is the best start of Jodie Foster's career and four times the nearest competition there.
  • Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo opened in the U.K. but flopped, opening in ninth with just $496,000 on 160 screens. On the other hand, the film opened in first place in Taiwan with $780,000 on just 70 screens. One of the few bright spots during its run was its first-place debut in Australia, but this weekend it fell to fifth place with $823,000 on 227 screens for a $2.96 million running total. That does give the film $14.6 million during its international run with a few more major markets to go.
  • Red Eye fell to just $2 million this weekend for a $25.7 million international total. It held up well in Spain, down 35% to $523,000 on 205 screens for a $1.5 million total there. In Holland the film dropped just 13% to $228,000 on 59 screens for a running total of $600,000 in the market.
  • Madagascar also earned $2 million over the weekend and has earned $325 million during its run. A large chunk of that came from Italy where the film made $876,000 over the weekend and $25.4 million during its run.
  • Fantastic Four recovered somewhat in Italy, dropping 39% to $1.16 million for the weekend and $9.86 million during its run. In Japan, the film fell 45% to $735,000 on 364 screens for a total of $7.45 million in that market. The roughly $2 million it earned this weekend has pushed its international box office to $169 million with a few more million coming to it.
  • Goal! opened in the U.K. with a third place, $1.525 million start on 366 screens, but considering how popular soccer is in that market, that's not a very strong start. But it was the vast majority of the film's $1.8 million international debut.
  • Four Brothers opened in several new markets this weekend including the U.K. where it opened in fourth place with $1.4 million on 351 screens. Other debuts include average results in Turkey at $64,000 on 43 screens and Slovakia with $4000 on 4. Less successful results came in Sweden ($13,000 on 7 screens); Norway ($23,000 on 5); The Czech Republic ($12,500 on 12), and Argentina ($18,000 on 20).
  • Der Kleine Eisbar 2 - Die Geheimnisvolle Insel opened in its native market of Germany and finished third with $1.52 million on 633 screens.
  • Sin City opened in third place in Japan with $1.44 million on 222 screens. This is the last major market for the film's international run, a run that has brought in $77 million so far.
  • The Adventures of Shark Boy and Lava Girl opened in Norway in fourth place with $42,000 on 30 screens. It did much better in New Zealand where it more than doubled to $190,000 on 57 screens and was up 29% in Australia to $695,000 on 217 screens. The film is still doing well in the U.K., down just 3% to $320,000 on 292 screens.
  • Broken Flowers dropped to third place in Poland with $110,000 on 40 screens for a three-work total of $586,000. The film has also done very well in two major markets earning $5.67 million in France and $2.59 million in Germany, including weekend hauls of $670,000 and $430,000 respectively.
  • George A. Romero's Land of the Dead was down 47% to $822,000 for the weekend and $3.1 million during its two-week run. That was more than half of the film's $1.2 million international haul, and a large chunk of the films $21.2 million total, which is just ahead of its domestic total.
  • April Snow (Going Out) recovered during its third weekend in Japan down just 24% to $1.196 million on 360 screens for a three-week total of $15.1 million.
  • The Longest Yard's best market this weekend was the U.K.; there is earned $742,000 on 320 screens for a $7.25 million running tally. It had a smaller drop-off in Germany down 22% to $453,000, but that was still the worst in the top ten there.
  • Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit was down just 5% in Australia adding $1.0 million to its $5.6 million total there. On the other hand, it was up a huge 50% in New Zealand with $178,000 on 58 screens. It has only opened in those two markets, but thanks to holidays there, the film has earned $6.3 million so far.
  • The Dukes of Hazzard's best market over the weekend was Australia with $916,000 on 247 screens while it had one of the worst week-to-week drop-off in the top ten in New Zealand with $229,000 on 49 screens. In those two markets the film has earned $6.22 million and $751,000 respectively and $100 million worldwide.
  • The Transporter 2 opened in Australia, but performed poorly earning $536,000 on 133 screens. Looking on the bright side, its per theatre average was above average and it has already earned $23 million internationally, so the studio should be more than happy with the results so far. The film is still doing well in Germany with $467,000, in South Africa with $71,000, and in Taiwan with $60,000.
  • Nationale Volksarmee - Manover Schneeflocke opened in its native market of Germany and finished fifth with $1.11 million on 155 screens for the second best per screen average in the top ten.
  • Sky High opened in Russia with $210,000 since midweek, which was only good enough for sixth place. During its second weekend in New Zealand it more than doubled to $94,000 and it rose 22% during its fourth weekend in Australia adding $714,000 to its $3.41 million total so far.
  • Shinobi added another $980,000 on 241 screens in its native Japan for a three-week total of $8.6 million
  • The Brothers Grimm had no major openings this weekend but did add $511,000 on 261 screens in Spain, $232,000 in Mexico, and $203,000 in Russia. With $15.2 million internationally and most major markets left, the film's international run will likely save its financial future.
  • Monster-In-Law was knocked out of top spot in Spain by a local hit, but it still earned $862,000 on 305 screens for a $4.65 million total in the market and $62.8 million internationally.
  • It was a busy weekend in France with 5 wide releases, but that didn't stop Crash from having an amazing week, off just 19% to $686,000 on 174 screens and a $2.76 million running tally. It is also still doing well in the U.K., adding $156,000 to its $10.23 million eight-week total.
  • Serenity opened in sixth place in Australia with $802,000 on 172 screens; like its domestic run, its per screen average was good, but its low screen count hurt its overall numbers.
  • Revolver plummeted 66% during its second weekend in the U.K., falling from second place to eighth with just $540,000 on 347 screens and it did no better in Russia, down 74% to $224,000.
  • Howl's Movie Castle's second weekend in the U.K. was quite good as the film dipped by just 16% to $314,000, but it fell out of the top ten nonetheless. The film was just slightly weaker during its second weekend in Australia down 18% to $89,000 on 34 screens while in Germany the film grew 5% during its sixth week of release with $167,000 for the weekend and $1.9 million during its run.
  • The Wedding Crashers's second weekend in Mexico saw it plummet more than 60% to $391,000. On the other hand, it opened in first place in Turkey with $176,000 on 70 screens, which is a reasonable start. Internationally, the film has made $63.5 million, which is good considering the type of film it is, but bad compared to its domestic run.
  • Initial D fell by 42% during its third weekend in Japan; the film barely hung onto tenth place with $489,000 on 176 screens for a $4.77 million, three-week total.
  • Dark Water dipped by just 13% during its second weekend in Germany but fell from fourth to eighth with $458,000 on 221 screens. In the Czech Republic the film fell 26% to $14,000 while in Slovakia the film opened in second place with $9,000 on 6 screens.
  • The Merchant of Venice dropped just 9% during its second weekend in Spain, which allowed it to add $446,000 on 98 screens to its $1.13 million total there.
  • The Beast in the Heart has probably spent its last weekend in the top ten in its Native Italy, earning $417,000 on 173 screens for a $5.1 million four-week total.
  • Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang slipped out of the top ten in France, but still added $350,000 on 210 screens for a $2 million running total so far.
  • Perfect Catch fell to tenth place in its second weekend in Spain with just $296,000 on 275 screens. The film did no better in New Zealand, falling 38% to 10th with $36,000 on 45 screens.
  • March of the Penguins opened in Hong Kong with $313,000 on 24 screens, which is a great start, but not enough for the film to have the same kind of run it had domestically.
  • Herbie: Fully Loaded fell just 6% this weekend to $285,000 on 308 screens for a $11.7 million running tally.
  • Good Night, and Good Luck had the worst week-to-week drop-off in the top ten in Italy falling 42% to 10th place with $284,000 on just 94 screens for a three-week total of $2.2 million.
  • Into the Blue opened day-and-date in two midlevel markets, New Zealand and Malaysia. In the former the film finished fifth with $150,000 on 35 screens and in the latter the film earned $123,000 on 31 screens, but its placing is unknown.
  • Rize fell 40% during its second weekend in France falling out of the top ten with $270,000 on 115 screens. The $750,000 the film has earned so far is quite good considering the cultural gap it had to cross.
  • Stealth sunk to seventh place in its second weekend in Turkey with $55,000, down 43% from last weekend. It held up much worse in Spain where it was down 55% to $129,000, down 57% to $27,000 in New Zealand, and down 74% in Australia to just $42,000. Overall the film has $31.6 million internationally, just a fraction behind what it made domestically.
  • Little Fish was flat this weekend in Australia adding another $240,000 to its $1.6 million run there.
  • Wolf Creek plummeted 57% during its third weekend in the U.K. falling out of the top ten in the meantime. It still added $236,000 on 204 screens for a $2.75 million running tally.
  • Oliver Twist opened in first place in Poland with $220,000 on 120 screens. It was a whole other story in the Czech Republic where the film managed just $13,000 on 10 screens.
  • Me and You and Everyone We Know fell to $200,000 during its second weekend in France and now has $550,000 during its two-week run.
  • The Perfect Man started out slow in Australia but is holding on strong, down just 15% for $184,000 on 121 for the weekend and $1.115 million during its run.
  • The Skeleton Key fell from 10th to 15th in Germany with $157,000 on 259 screens.
  • The Corpse Bride opened in second place in Taiwan with $150,000 over the weekend and $200,000 including midweek numbers.
  • Must Love Dogs lost nearly half its opening with $145,000 on 169 screens.
  • The Jennifer Love Hewitt film, If Only, opened in Spain with just $140,000 on 133 screens. On the other hand, her new TV series seems to be earning better than expected ratings.
  • Paradise Now opened in semi-limited release in Germany with $140,000 on 73 screens.
  • Crazy Monkey Presents Straight Outta Benoni debuted in the top spot in its native South Africa with $132,000 on 45 screens.
  • Don't Come Knocking opened in Italy with $127,000 on 68 screens, not a great start considering the market is usually very kind to films of that nature.
  • SpongeBob SquarePants slipped by just 17% in Italy to $127,000 on 120 screens for a $350,000 so far.
  • Stage Beauty opened in Germany the weekend before last with $125,000 on 50 screens.
  • The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants opened in ninth place in Brazil with $77,000 while it fell just 15% during its second weekend in South Africa landing in eighth place with $46,000.
  • Valiant crossed $1 million in Poland with $53,000 this weekend and it also made $67,000 on 50 screens in South Africa.
  • Salaam Namaste added another $118,000 on 35 screens in the U.K. for a total of $1.28 million there.
  • Hooligans opened in fifth place in Holland with $96,000 on 37 screens, which isn't a bad start.
  • Mad Hot Ballroom opened in semi-limited release in Australia with $83,000 on 33 screens, which is an average result.
  • Hostage fell to fifth place in Poland with $82,000 for the weekend and $457,000 for its run.
  • Godsend slipped to third place in Turkey falling by 33% to $81,000 for the weekend and $462,000 during its three-week run.
  • The Upside of Anger opened in fifth place in Turkey with $79,000 on 29 screens for the best per screen average in the top ten.
  • Mr. and Mrs. Smith is coasting on holdovers, adding $74,000 on 132 screens to $242.5 million international total. This will probably be the last time the film is mentioned on this list until it opens in Japan and Italy in December.
  • Creep lost more than half its opening, falling 54% to $69,000 for the weekend and $292,000 during its run.
  • Downfall is just wrapping up its run in Mexico, adding $60,000 to its $1.94 million run there.
  • Underclassman opened in Russia with just $49,000 since Thursday, which is roughly on par with is domestic opening.
  • Boy Eats Girl fell to $31,000 this weekend in the U.K. for a $118,000 run, but I fully expect this film to thrive on the home market there.
  • The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill grew by 6% for the weekend in New Zealand adding $20,000 this weekend for a $59,000 run.
  • My Date with Drew opened in Semi-limited release in Norway earning $16,000 on 8 screens.

Submitted by:

Filed under: International Box Office, Wedding Crashers, Madagascar, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, The Longest Yard, Fantastic Four, Flightplan, SpongeBob SquarePants: The Movie, Monster-in-Law, The Dukes of Hazzard, La marche de l'empereur, Four Brothers, Sin City, Herbie: Fully Loaded, Sky High, Red Eye, Crash, Corpse Bride, The Skeleton Key, Must Love Dogs, The Transporter 2, Fever Pitch, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Pride & Prejudice, The Brothers Grimm, Hostage, Stealth, Good Night, and Good Luck, Serenity, Dark Water, Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo, George A. Romero's Land of the Dead, Valiant, Into the Blue, The Upside of Anger, The Perfect Man, Wolf Creek, Broken Flowers, Mad Hot Ballroom, Underclassman, Der Untergang, Hauru no ugoku shiro, Goal! The Dream Begins, Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang, Me and You and Everyone We Know, The Merchant of Venice, Rize, The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill, Oliver Twist, Nochnoy dozor, Paradise Now, Salaam Namaste, Stage Beauty, Don’t Come Knocking, Green Street Hooligans, My Date With Drew, Revolver, Little Fish, The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D