French Film Finishes Fifth

February 20, 2005

Note: I know this column was promised for Friday, but in between Wednesday and Friday data for only a couple more major markets were added and as of Sunday Mexico is still a week behind. We'll try the column as a Sunday release for a couple of weeks to see if it works there before making a final decision.

Iznogoud: Calife a la place du calife, a movie based on a Asterix and Obelix spin off of sorts, dominated the French box office taking in $7.1 million, more than double the second place film and more than a third of the top ten total. It is also enough to push it into the Top Five on the international scene, dropping Finding Neverland into sixth place. Unfortunately, like the several films made in the Asterix and Obelix series, this one is unlikely to make much of an impact outside the French speaking markets.

Other highlights on the international scene include:

• SpongeBob SquarePants just missed $5 million, and the top five, this weekend but it did lift its total to $32.6 million after opening in 16 markets so far. This weekend the film opened in Fourth place in the U.K. with $2.4 million on 440 screens. That was a good result, but not a great one, however, the weekend was crowded with three films opening there, all aimed at kids. In France the film had a much weaker result with $1.1 million on 374 screens, only good enough for an eighth place finish. On the other hand, the film saw its weekend haul shoot up by more than 50% in the Netherlands to $600,000.
• Closer really struggled in its debut in Sweden missing the top ten there. That helped push the film out of the five with $4.2 million on 2200 screens in 32 markets for a $62.7 million international total. With $96.7 million the film is still a week away from $100 million worldwide.
• The Magic Roundabout opened in its home market of the U.K. with $2.9 million on 425 screens. That was good enough third place but was a little disappointing. The film also make $1.3 million in France, up slightly from the week before.
• Hide & Seek opened in several of markets and had strong results in most. Its best opening came in Mexico where the film earned $1.8 million on 432 screens while in Australia the film finished a close second with $1.3 million on 205 screens. It also did well in Russia, ($320,00) and Sweden, ($250,000.) With $37.8 million internationally already, the film should have no problem beating the $44.3 million it brought in domestically.
• The The Bourne Supremacy finally opened up in Japan, but wasn't quite as strong as expected. The film did bring in $3.1 million since it opened on Friday, but over the two-day weekend it could only manage third place. This is a good result, but probably not enough to push its worldwide box office over $300 million as its sitting at $280 million right now.
• Million Dollar Baby saw its weekly take climb in Spain to $1.4 million, up 5%, drop 24% in Australia to $780,000 climb 15% in Greece to 263,000, all in its second weekend) while it dropped just 18% in it 5th weekend in the U.K. to $600,000. Add it up and you get $3.0 million for the weekend and $13.3 million internationally.
• Espace Détente held up well in its home market of France dropping 32% to $3.0 million. The film has already earned $7.5 million in that market.
• The Grudge opened in Japan with $1.4 million on 238 screens, which is better than the original made there. The film is still doing well in Mexico with $1.6 million on 290 screens, which was good enough to retain first place there.
• Sideways had a couple of openings this weekend which helped it earn $2.9 million for an international total of $8.8 million after opening in 28 markets so far. In France the film made $840,000 on 135 screens, (which led to the best per screen average in the top ten) and $90,000 on 15 screens in Belgium. The film also had very strong holdovers dropping just 17% in its third weekend in the U.K., down just 25% during its third weekend in Australia while it grew 3% during its second weekend in Germany.
• Howl's Moving Castle dropped out of the top 10 in France with $700,000, but is still in third place in Japan with $1.8 million. The film has already broken $200 million internationally, most of which coming from Japan.
• Andrew Lloyd-Webber's The Phantom of the Opera climbed by 4% during its third weekend in Japan rising to $2.4 million, which was enough to take over top spot on the charts there. The film as earned $15.9 million of its $75 million international box office in that one market alone.
• Felix - The Film, shot up by 89% in its native market of Germany and that helped push its weekend total to $2.3 million for a two-week total of $4.1 million.
• Pooh's Heffalump Movie had its first taste of the international market opening in a half-a-dozen markets, debuting in first place in half of them. It's best market in term of raw numbers was in Norway where the film earned $493,000, but in Poland its $443,000 was the third best for an animated film.
• The Incredibles saw its take in Hong Kong increase to $1.3 million due to the Chinese New Year. Over the weekend the film added $2.1 million to its $362.6 million international total.
• Blade: Trinity had an impressive start as it debuted in first place in Russia with $930,000 on 200 screens, good enough for first place. Add in the $635,000 the film managed in its fourth weekend in Germany, plus other smaller results and you get $2.1 million on 1500 screens in 21 markets for a $54.2 million running tally.
• A Very Long Engagement continues to wrap up its international run taking in an addition $2.0 million on 900 screens in 28 markets for a $50.7 million internationally. This included a forgettable $250,000 debut on 150 screens in Italy.
• Ray brought in another $2.0 million on 1000 screen from 29 markets for an international box office of $17.0 million.
• Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events added another $1.9 million to its $66.1 million international box office, including a first place finish in Chile with $155,000 on 36 screens. A large chunk of its weekend total came from $767,000 in its third weekend in Germany.
• Unleashed dropped 34% in its second weekend in France to $1.5 million for the weekend and $3.7 million so far. That's a slightly higher than average drop for the market, but nothing too extreme.
• National Treasure added another $1.5 million to its $141 million international total while awaiting its debut in its last major market, (Japan on March 19th.)
• Racing Stripes held up well during its second weekend in the U.K. adding another $1.5 million raising its box office to $4.2 million there and $10.5 million internationally.
• Son of the Mask also opened internationally a week ahead of its domestic debut. The film could only manage a sixth place, $1.4 million debut on 328 screens. However, this was a slightly better result that expected.
• The Merchant of Venice opened in Italy with a very respectable $1.1 million on 250 screens. By this time next week the film will have easily topped its $1.5 million domestic box office in that one market alone.
• Are We There Yet? debuted in Germany with a $1 million weekend, on just 200 screens. Germany has been very kind to Hollywood films that were aimed at African Americans Stateside.
• After the Sunset can't find an audience internationally, this week failing to crack $1 million in its debut in France. $954,000 on 238 screens was only good enough for 9th place, but its better than expected per screen average could help the film's legs.
• White Noise dropped a shallow 20% during its second weekend in France landing at $650,000, however, that wasn’t enouhg to keep it in the top ten.
• Mean Girls dropped out of the top ten in France with just $370,000. So far the film has pulled in $2 million there and $42 million internationally, a very good figure given its target demographic.
• The Sea Inside made its debut in the U.K. in semi-limited release but couldn't crack the top ten with $170,000 on 73 screens. It also had several openings in other, smaller markets with mixed results: Argentina, 10th place with $80,000 on 25 screen and in Spain the film finished in 14th place with $108,000 on 84 screens.
• Cellular made its Australia debut with a $322,000 on 113 screens, which was barely enough for seventh place.
• Elektra saw its Italian box office cut in half to $320,000, good enough from $1.2 million for the market and $23 million internationally. Good news is the film should have no trouble beating its domestic total abroad; bad news is it won't be enough.
• Assault on Precinct 13 fell out of the top ten in the U.K. with $320,000.
• Alexander opened in Argentina with $214,000 on 50 screens. With $125.4 million internationally, the film has earned nearly four times its domestic total so far.
• Seed of Chucky debuted in Argentina with $213,000 on 39 screens, which gave it the best per screen average in the market.
• Ladder 49 was down more than 70% to $210,000 in its second weekend in Italy.
• Laura's Star, the German animated film, opened in the U.K. but it failed to make any impact bringing in just $125,000 on 160 screens. Compare that to the nearly $8 million it earned in its home market.
• First Daughter opened with a thud in the U.K. at just $115,000 on 102 screens. What's even worse, this is the best result the film has managed in its international run so far as it earned just $57,000 in Australia and just $2000 in Germany.
• Raise Your Voice made just under $55,000 during its third weekend in the Netherlands, up more than 30% from the previous weekend. The film has so far made $2.5 million in Australia, (including another $47,000 this weekend) and $200,000 in Netherlands and doesn't open in Mexico till the end of May.
• Aliens of the Deep opened on two screens in the U.K. with $92,256 over the past week.
• Vera Drake opened in Australia in limited release with just $70,000 on 19 screens, ($92,500 if you count previews.)
• House of Flying Daggers opened in seventh place in Finland with just $51,000 on seven screens.
• Nascar opened in Mexico with $14,260 in one theatre.
• Kung Fu Hustle wrapped up its run in South Korea finishing with just under $6 million in the market. That's actually a little lower than expected given the its $64.8 million international total so far.

Source: Variety

Filed under: International Box Office, The Incredibles, The Bourne Supremacy, National Treasure, Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, The Grudge, Million Dollar Baby, Mean Girls, SpongeBob SquarePants: The Movie, Ray, Ladder 49, Sideways, White Noise, Blade: Trinity, The Phantom of the Opera, Hide and Seek, Racing Stripes, Alexander, Closer, Cellular, Danny the Dog, Elektra, NASCAR: The IMAX Experience, Assault On Precinct 13, Pooh's Heffalump Movie, Kung Fu Hustle, Son of the Mask, Seed of Chucky, House of Flying Daggers, Raise Your Voice, First Daughter, Aliens of the Deep, Doogal, Un long dimanche de fiançailles, Hauru no ugoku shiro, The Merchant of Venice, Vera Drake, Mar adentro, Are We There Yet?, After the Sunset