Chicken's Little Start on the International Scene is Lucrative

November 13, 2005

Chicken Little started its international run with day-and-date debuts in 9 markets earning $5.54 million on 900 screens, just missing the top five in the process. Its best market was kid-friendly Mexico with $3.1 million on 600 screens, which is about on par with its opening domestically. On the other hand, the film broke records in Malaysia with $477,000 on 40 screens. Other results include a first place debuts in Russia with $1.1 million on 197 screens and in Taiwan with $463,000 on 18 screens, (including previews).

• The Brothers Grimm added $5.3 million to its international total of $40.7 million so far. More than half of that amount came from the film's first place debut in Japan where it grabbed $2.84 million on 250 screens. It also did well in the U.K. scoring a fourth place debut with $1.61 million on 371 screens. It was another story in Norway where the film missed the top ten with just $54,000 on 12 screens.
• It looks like Doom will do no better internationally than it did domestically as it made just $3.6 million on 1150 screens in 28 markets over the weekend for a running tally of $13.4 million. It's best market this weekend was Russia where the film made $810,000 for a $2.82 million, two-week total there. While the film opened in more than a dozen markets, its best was Singapore where it managed $250,000 on 25 screens and Hong Kong with $164,000 on 23 screens.
• The 40-Year Old Virgin opened in a few more markets including Belgium where it earned $460,000 on 41 screens for a fourth place finish. It only managed sixth in Spain with $875,000 on 222 screens, but that was less than $100,000 from second place. On the other hand, it barely made eighth in South Korea with just $240,000 on 90 screens, but nobody was expecting it to do well there. Overall the film now has $47 million with several more markets to go, including France next weekend.
• Nanny McPhee saw its box office fall by 46% this weekend, but that was still enough for the film to reach the top of the box office in the U.K.. It also pushed its total there to $22.31 million.
• Match Point had the second best week-to-week drop-off in the top ten in France this weekend, but it still fell 51% to $1.82 million on 352 screens for a $5.59 million, two-week total. Meanwhile in Spain the film opened in second place with $975,000 on just 149 screens for the best per screen average in the top ten.
• Saw II opened in fourth place in New Zealand with $82,000 on 23 screens, which is a mediocre start. It also had relatively steep declines in both the U.K. down 44% to $2.15 million and in Japan down 43% to $390,000.
• Oliver Twist opened in fourth place in Greece with $210,000, which is a little lower than I would have expected. It's best market in terms of raw dollars continues to be France with $1.1 million on 547 screens but it is also doing very strong business in Italy with $740,000 on 261 screens.
• Pride and Prejudice continues it strong international run adding $1.9 million on 841 screens in 8 markets to its $37.3 million international total so far. It's best market this weekend was Germany where the film made $838,000 on 302 screens for a $4.28 million running tally, but it also did well in Australia with $535,000 on 231 screens for a $3.59 million total in the market. Its best market overall is still the U.K. with $25.0 million, including $165,000 this weekend.
• Into the Blue opened in third place in Spain with $960,000 on 274 screens, but could only managed sixth place in Belgium with $232,000 on 32 screens. In the meantime, it held up reasonable well in Australia dropping 37% to $273,000 on 180 screens but fell out of the top ten in the U.K. with $293,000 on 197 screens. Internationally, the film now has $15.2 million and should top its domestic total next weekend, or shortly after.
• A History of Violence opened in third place in France with $1.71 million on 216 screens for the best per screen average in the top ten. That's one of the film's best openings during its international run, a run that has brought in $12.6 million so far.
• The Tiger and the Snow fell to third place in Italy with $1.32 million on 410 screens for $15.79 million in total, which is the highest running tally in the top ten.
• The Constant Gardener opened in fourth place in Spain with $915,000 on 192 screens, which is the largest opening in the film's $4 million international run so far. The film is also doing very well in Greece slipping by less than 10% there adding $300,000 to its $700,000 running tally there.
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is starting to show weakness in Japan falling 43% to $665,000 on 276 screens for a $43.6 million total there. It is also still doing well in Italy with $314,000 on 127 screens and in Greece with $215,000 this weekend; the film has now earned $12.45 million and $2.42 million in those two markets respectively and $261 million overall.
• When I mentioned Wolf Creek's opening in Australia it turns out it was just the second round of previews. The actual opening was this weekend and the film performed much better with $895,000 over the weekend and $1.16 million in total making it the first R-Rated Australian film to top its home market.
• March of the Penguins was nearly flat during its fourth week of release in Germany dipping by just 5% to $668,000 during the weekend and $5.36 million during its run.
• The Interpreter fell from second to seventh during its second weekend in Italy, but it still added $625,000 on 199 screens to tis $4.66 million total in the market and its $88 million international box office.
• The Exorcism of Emily Rose remained in first place in Poland with $175,000 on 40 screens for a $465,000 total there. It also held up reasonably well during its second weekend in Australia falling 40% to $413,000 on 206 screens. On the other hand, it opened in eighth place in Taiwan with just $32,000 on 16 screens.
• In Her Shoes opened in fifth place in Finland with $90,000 on 20 screens, including previews. Meanwhile, the film climbed a spot to fourth in its fourth weekend in Australia with $470,000 on 261 screens.
• Garam Masala opened in eighth place in the U.K. with $511,000 on 37 screens for the best per screen average in the market.
• Broken Flowers opened in fifth place in the Czech Republic with $30,000 on 11 screens. Its best market of the weekend was the U.K. where it managed to add $450,000 on 135 screens to its $2.44 million running tally in the market and its $17.1 million international total so far.
• Madagascar remained in first place in Greece with $365,000 over the weekend and $1.0 million during its two weeks there.
• Hostage fell from fifth to tenth during its second weekend in Spain with $360,000 over the weekend and $1.48 million in total.
• Valiant was buoyed by holidays in Italy and saw its box office climb by more than 50% to $320,000 over the weekend and $860,000 during its run.
• Sky High was just able to hang onto a spot in the top ten in the U.K. with $317,000 over the weekend and $3.45 million overall.
• The Amityville Horror opened in third place in Turkey with $300,000 on 63 screens.
• Company 9 slipped another spot to fifth in Russia with $290,000 over the weekend and $23.26 million during its run.
• Stay started its international run with a couple of disappointing debuts in both Australia, ($147,000 on 120 screens) and South Korea, ($136,000 on 61 screens).
• Lord of War opened in third place in the Netherlands with $160,000 on 35 screens while in Poland it opened in opened in fifth place with $110,000 also on 35 screens.
• Red Eye plummeted more than 70% during its second week in France to just $270,000, and that was for the whole week. Even so, the film has made $34.3 million internationally and is climbing towards $100 million worldwide.
• The Pacifier had the second worst week-to-week drop-off in the top ten in Japan falling 52% to $265,000 on 244 screens for a two-week total of just $1.38 million.
• Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang opened in eighth place in New Zealand with $42,000 on 15 screens while it earned $56,000 on 64 screens during previews in Australia. Meanwhile, the film managed $157,000 on 182 screens during its third weekend in Germany for a total of $1.1 million in that market.
• The World's Fastest Indian remains locked in first place in New Zealand earning $250,000 during its fourth week of release for a $1.86 million total there.
• An Unfinished Life lost more than half its box office in Spain falling out of the top ten in the meantime; even so, it managed to earn another $225,000 on 177 screens for a $3.14 million total there.
• Monster-In-Law fell out of the top ten in Italy but still added $225,000 to its $4.97 million total there and $70.7 million total internationally.
• There lull between openings continues for Serenity, but the film still managed $100,000 in Spain over the week, $50,000 in the U.K. and $40,000 in Australia. It has earned $10.4 million internationally with many major markets left to go, but it will have to rely on strong home sales numbers to break even.
• Cinderella Man lost more than half its weekly haul in Australia landing in 10th place with $110,000 while it slipped to seventh in Greece with $80,000. The film has earned $4.2 million and $570,000 in those two markets as well as $42.3 million overall.
• Goal! hung on better than expected in Hong Kong falling to eighth place with $83,000 on 23 screens while it count only managed seventh place in Norway with $90,000 on 21 screens, including previews.
• Mindhunters opened in seventh place in Turkey with $164,000 on 50 screens, which is a better than average result compared to the rest of the film's $16 million international run.
• Holodays helped Herbie: Fully Loaded climb to $160,000 in Turkey but it still fell two spots to 8th.
• The Beat My Heart Skipped opened in semi-limited release in the U.K. scoring a 16th place debut with $150,000 on 25 screens.
• Torrente 3: El Protector fell from 8th to 19th in Spain adding $150,000 to its total of $21.26 million.
• The Transporter 2 opedn in second place in New Zealand with $124,000 on 40 screens.
• Kinky Boots' run in its native U.K. is almost over, but it still managed to add $120,000 to its total of $4.85 million so far.
• The Canadian film, Saint Ralph, opened in France but struggled with just $100,000 on 146 screens.
• Four Brothers slipped a spot to sixth in the Netherlands adding $100,000 to its $920,000 total in the market and $14.3 million international box office.
• Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story collapsed by 60% during its third weekend in the U.K. adding just $90,000 to its total of $1.12 million in the market.
• The Germany Star Trek spoof, (T)Raumschiff Surprise - Periode 1, opened in tenth place in Russia with $74,000 including Thursday.
• Prime opened in fifth place in Taiwan with $66,000 on 11 screens including previews.

Filed under: International Box Office, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Madagascar, Chicken Little, The Pacifier, The 40 Year-old Virgin, Saw II, Monster-in-Law, La marche de l'empereur, The Exorcism of Emily Rose, Four Brothers, The Interpreter, Herbie: Fully Loaded, The Amityville Horror, Sky High, Cinderella Man, Red Eye, Nanny McPhee, The Transporter 2, Pride & Prejudice, The Brothers Grimm, Hostage, The Constant Gardener, In Her Shoes, Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story, A History of Violence, Doom, Serenity, Lord of War, Match Point, Prime, Valiant, Into the Blue, Wolf Creek, Broken Flowers, An Unfinished Life, The World's Fastest Indian, Mindhunters, Goal! The Dream Begins, Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang, Stay, Oliver Twist, De battre mon coeur s'est arrêté, Saint Ralph