Alexander Reigns over International Audiences

January 19, 2005

After a massive opening last week in Spain, Alexander took top spot on the international charts thanks to a strong opening in Italy, Brazil and Hong Kong. The film managed first place in all three markets with $3.87 million on 446 screens in Italy, $906,900 on 193 screens in Brazil and $275,244 on 30 screens in Hong Kong. Holdovers were not as kind to the Sword and Sandal epic as it dropped nearly 50% in the U.K., Spain and France. Overall the film brought in $14.5 million on 3600 screens in 51 markets for a running tally of $88 million. And while the film will easily cross $100 million internationally, which is roughly 3 times its domestic figure, it has to be looked at as a disappointment financially.

With no other film making $10 million on the international box office, there was a bit of a logjam for second place. Ocean's Twelve came out in front with $9.64 million on 4600 screens in 55 markets, lifting its international box office to $152.2 million. The only new market for the film was Poland, where it lead the field with $487,500 on 65 screens.

Close behind was National Treasure with $9.1 million on 3774 screens in 34 markets for an international box office of $119.6 million so far. The film only had two openings over the weekend, neither of which was in a major market, but it did finish first in Holland with $1.4 million and in Greece with $655,000.

The Incredibles continues to slide down the charts finishing in fourth this week, albeit by a very narrow margin with $9.0 million on 6462 screens in 45 markets and now sits at $334.8 million internationally. Like most of the films in the top five, this one has very few new openings with just a first place, $800,000 opening in Turkey.

It’s very likely that Closer’s international box office while easily over take its domestic box office. This weekend the film managed a place in the top five with $6.5 million on 1100 screens in 8 markets, which nearly doubled its running tally to $13.7 million. Leading the way was a first place, $3.0 million debut in the U.K. on just 275 screens and another first place opening in Germany with $2.3 million on 469 screens. The film stumbled in Mexico with just $400,000 on 120 screens but finished first in a handful of smaller markets, (Switzerland, Austria and Israel)

Other highlights on the international scene include:

• The Aviator opened well in Spain with $2.2 million on 390 screens, good enough for a close second place finish and dropped a mere 25% in the U.K. with $1.89 million on 324 screens. Over the weekend the film added $4.4 million to its early $9.0 million international tally.
• Kung Fu Hustle continues to dominate the Asian market adding another $4.8 million on 1000 screens in 9 markets to its very healthy $52.7 million international box office. However, this does not necessarily mean the film will be able to build on this success when it opens Stateside in March.
• With $4.7 million this weekend, Bridget Jones: Edge of Reason is now just a week away from hitting $200 million internationally with $196 so far.
• Mexico is usually a very strong market for family friendly films, so it comes as a great disappointment that Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events debut there was so weak. In that market the film only managed $950,000 on 345 screens and $3.0 million on 1800 screens in 10 markets overall. With just $45.8 million internationally, the film has not lived up to expectations at the box office.
• Team America: World Police used the time tested marketing strategy of creating controversy to sell the film in the U.K. and it worked rather well with a $2,838,339, second place finish on 327 screens. So far the film has brought in $8.1 million in 5 markets, but will likely finish well below South Park: Bigger, Longer, Uncut.
• Meet the Fockers added $2.7 million on 820 screens in 6 markets to is $27.5 million international box office so far. That’s a pretty serious drop from last weekend’s $5.1 million.
• SpongeBob Squarepants’s second weekend drop-off in Australia was a little steep at 34%. Overall the film made $2.2 million on 1200 screens for a $19.1 million running tally.
• Polar Express started out slow, but showed incredible legs in most markets, however, given its huge budget a $112.7 million box office, including this weekend’s $2.1 million contribution, is simply not enough.
• White Noise dropped a mere 23% during its second weekend in the U.K. to $2.1 million and now has 7.3 million in that market alone.
• Finding Neverland opened surprisingly well in Japan with $1.33 million on 190 screens. Along with its $653,000 on 209 screens in Australia pushed the film’s international box office to $13.21 million so far.
• Howl's Moving Castle opened in its first non-Asian market this weekend earning $2.0 million in France, nearly twice what Spirited Away opened with.
• Oscar contender Million Dollar Baby had its first taste of international success with $1.54 million, fifth place finish in the U.K. while playing on 285 screens.
• Elektra opened in Australia over the weekend with a $1.33 million, third place finish on 226 screens. It’s per theatre average was the second best in the top 20.
• Melinda and Melinda opening respectably in France with $1.1 million and currently sits at $7.7 million internationally. By all reports this should be Woody Allen’s most successful directorial effort in quite a few years, both at the box office and with the critics.
• After a poor start in Australia last weekend, Racing Stripes showed some strong legs dropping just 15% to $958,661 on 226 screens.
• Ladder 49 dropped to fifth place with just $832,000 in its second weekend in Australia.
• Ray held on very well in Germany dropping just 15% to $617,011 on 130 screens while in opened in Austria with $84,000 on 32 screens. So far the film has only opened in those two markets bringing in $1.8 million at the box office.
• After the Sunset stumbled in its Australian debut with just $490,000 on 134 screens.
• Raise Your Voice was the first misstep in Hilary Duff’s career. It did manage to finish in the top ten in Australia for the weekend earning $260,000 this weekend and $1.63 million since it opened there. This despite playing in a mere 118 theatres.
• Sideways made its international debut in Greece, which is normally very kind to Oscar contenders, however, the film could only manage $137,000 on 15 screens. This is a good result, but not the great result the studio was probably hoping for.
• Kinsey opened in Australia in limited release with $129,000 on 35 screens, or 194,000 if you include previews.

Source: Variety

Filed under: International Box Office, Meet the Fockers, The Incredibles, The Polar Express, National Treasure, Ocean's Twelve, Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, The Aviator, Million Dollar Baby, SpongeBob SquarePants: The Movie, Ray, Ladder 49, Sideways, White Noise, Finding Neverland, Racing Stripes, Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason, Alexander, Closer, Team America: World Police, Elektra, Kung Fu Hustle, Kinsey, Hauru no ugoku shiro, Melinda and Melinda, After the Sunset