Dwarves Tower Above All

November 10, 2004

It's a rare feat for a non-Hollywood film to top the international charts, but that's just what the German spoof, Seven Dwarfs, did this week. Playing in just three markets the film took in $10.6 million on under 1,000 screens. In its home market of Germany the film eased just 19% to $9.2 million; the result was not quite as good in Austria where it dropped a respectable 30% to $915,000, but it was in Switzerland where it shined - increasing 4% to $500,000. Overall the film has now made $29.0 million so far but the real test comes with increased competition from holiday fare and the ability to find an audience in non-German speaking markets.

Dropping to second place was Shark Tale with $10.4 million in 4,390 theatres in 31 markets. There were only three smaller openings this weekend in Malaysia ($240,000 over four days), Turkey ($300,000 in three) and Singapore ($700,000 over four days.) And with four key markets left, including Japan, and $129.2 million in the bank already, the film looks poised to top its domestic run.

Shall We Dance? is showing the legs of a dancer with very shallow drops in many markets and combined with its strong openings in Germany ($3 million on 610 screens), Spain ($1.7 million on 300), Austria ($477,000 on 74) and Switzerland ($610,000.) Still very early in its run, the surprise hit earned $9.8 million over the weekend adding to its $20.4 million running tally and should hit $100 million worldwide.

Big openings in several markets helped Alien vs. Predator climb a spot with $8.7 million. The film was strongest in Germany with $3.9 million on 561 screens, helping push its international box office to $52.2 million after debuting in 24 markets. On a less happy note, the film plunged 63% in its second weekend in France and 65% in its third weekend in the U.K.

The post-holiday weekend was not particularly kind to A Very Long Engagement as the film dropped 41% in France to $5.6 million. This was an acceptable drop, but most likely higher than the studio had hoped for. Add in its results in Belgium and the French speaking region of Switzerland and the film made $6.2 million on 768 screens to raise its box office to just shy of $20 million so far.

Other highlights on the international scene include:

• Collateral dropped out of the top five plunging more than 40% to $5.4 million this week. However, by this time next week the film will have crossed $100 million internationally as it currently sits at $97.2 million.
• Resident Evil: Apocalypse had mixed results this weekend. The film finished first in Spain with $2.5 million, second in Italy with $1.6 million, was a little weak in South Korea bringing in only $900,000 and nearly missed the top ten in just its third weekend in Australia. Overall the film managed $4.6 million to push its box office tally to $62 million.
• After flopping in South East Asia, The Grudge dominated the U.K. market with $4.1 million, (including sneak peaks). The film earned more than twice its nearly competitor and more than three times the per theatre average of any film in the top 10.
• Aided by a $1.1 million opening in Australia and a $765,000, first place opening in Brazil, The Forgotten took in $3.7 million to raise its international box office to $11.9 million in 18 markets.
• Exorcist: The Beginning saw it box office slashed in half in several markets compared to last weekend, but the film was still able to take in $2.7 million to push its box office numbers to $16 million in 21 markets.
• The Manchurian Candidate performed well in France earning $1.1 million and held up well in Australia with $500,000. This past weekend the film made $2.5 million to raise its international box office to $6 million so far.
• The Village's sophomore session in Italy was just half of its debut last weekend at $1.6 million. The $2.0 million the film brought in over the weekend helped lift its international tally to $139 million.
• A hand full of smaller openings helped White Chicks take in $1.9 million over the weekend and $31.4 million overall.
• Hero pulled in an impressive $1.7 million on 163 screens in Australia, which pushed its international box office to $118 million.
• The Bourne Supremacy earned another $1.7 million over the weekend, more than half that coming from Germany. With more than a dozen markets left to debut in, (including Japan), the film has already topped the original's international total with $92.8 million and looks posed to top $300 million worldwide.
• Birth may have flopped domestically, but it looks like it may have a slightly stronger future internationally. It managed a mediocre $780,000 on 275 screens in the U.K., a solid $500,000 on 126 screens in France, but a surprisingly strong $299,000 on 30 screens in Greece.
• The Terminal continues its slow march to $100 million at the international box office. This week the film made $1.2 million and now sits at $97.3 million overall.
• Catwoman ended its international run with a disappointing $610,000 on 243 screens in Japan, which lifted its international box office to just $38.9 million. With $1.2 million this weekend, it should hit $40 million by next weekend before finishing slightly above its domestic total.
• Finding Neverland's second weekend drop-off was just 27% in the U.K., which helped the film stay in third place with $1.1 million. So far the film has made $3.4 million in the market.
• The post holiday slump hurt Princess Diaries 2: The Royal Engagement's weekend total in the U.K. as its box office there was cut in half to $700,000. The film did manage a $300,000, third place finish in Brazil and now sits at $21.9 million internationally.
• Bad Santa finally opened in the U.K. over the weekend, but it could only manage a Scrooge-like $870,000 on 277 screen, barely good enough for a fourth place finish.
• Despite earning over $100 million domestically, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story hasn't been able to transfer that success internationally. This week we saw two more examples of that with its $600,000, fourth place finish in Italy and $200,000, sixth place finish in Brazil. The film now sits just north of $50 million internationally.
• King Arthur's theatrical run may be winding down, but it hit an important milestone this past week as it crossed $200 million at the worldwide box office and now sits at $201.6 million.
• After holding up rather well in the U.K. last weekend, it all collapsed for Alfie this weekend. The film dropped 66% to land at $550,000. Even so, the film has managed $7.7 million there, which should be its largest box office of an international market.
• I, Robot brought in another $500,000 in Italy to raise its total in the market to $5.3 million and its international total to $197.8 million.
• Vera Drake opened in Italy with $400,000 on 110 screens.
• House of Flying Daggers opened in Sweden with $300,000 in just 27 theatres.
• Five Children and It may have opened poorly in its home market of the U.K. a few weeks ago, but since then it has shown remarkable legs. This week the film added $260,000 to its $2.5 million total.
• Jersey Girl made its debut in South Africa with a third place, $200,000 weekend. The film has only made $9 million internationally, the largest chunk coming from its $1.7 million Spanish run.
• The Whole Ten Yards opened in Brazil over the weekend, but its $200,000, seventh place finish was really no better than its domestic box office.
• Wimbledon faired even worse with a $150,000, ninth place finish.

Source: Variety

Filed under: International Box Office, The Bourne Supremacy, Shark Tale, I, Robot, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, The Village, The Grudge, Collateral, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, AVP: Alien Vs. Predator, The Terminal, White Chicks, The Forgotten, The Manchurian Candidate, Bad Santa, Shall We Dance?, Jet Li's Hero, King Arthur, Finding Neverland, Resident Evil: Apocalypse, Exorcist: The Beginning, Catwoman, Jersey Girl, Wimbledon, The Whole Ten Yards, Alfie, Birth, Vera Drake