Spider Swings into Italy but Can't Top Village

September 21, 2004

The Village once again top took spot on the international scene, but by a very narrow margin. Still being plagued by sharp drop-offs, the film earned $11.2 million on 3,500 screens in 34 markets. So far the film has taken it $117 million internationally, higher than its $113 million it earned domestically. Although, it is much lower than M. Night Shyamalan's previous movie Signs.

Spider-Man 2 broke records in Italy earning an astounding $10.4 million on 800 screens during its four day opening. This broke Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King's five-day record. Overall, the film took in $10.9 million raising its international total to $391.2 million making $400 million academic at this point.

The Terminal's weekly figures climbed this weekend to $10.6 million in 31 markets. Its best result was is France where it took in $2.9 million but it was less impressive in other regions. So far the film has earned $40 million.

I, Robot opened in Japan with a very impressive $5.7 million, (including $1 million in previews) and this was the majority of its $7.1 million weekend take. This was a strong start and the film should earn $40 million in that market alone. And with its Italian opening on its way the film should push its international total to $200 million.

The Bourne Supremacy opened in second place in Spain with $1.9 million helping its weekend take to $6.9 million. So far the film has taken in $54 million but even with 29 markets left to open in, (including major markets like Germany, Italy and Japan) there is little chance that the film will match its domestic haul. However, $300 million worldwide is the goal.

Other highlights on the international scene include:

• Collateral had its first major opening taking first place in the U.K. with $4.1 million. The weekend figures of $4.6 million pushed its international total just $16.4 million in 17 markets so far.
• Garfield opened in top spot in both Australia and New Zealand with a combined $1.8 million. (Exact figures for its international box office are still unknown at this time, again. But by piecing together the information available the film earned an estimated $3.0 million in 8 markets. ) Its international total is now at $91.8 million and with upcoming openings in Italy and Japan, as well as some other smaller markets, its worldwide total should finish close to $200 million.
• Shrek 2 is wrapping up its international run with just a couple of markets left. But it is still going strong earning $3.0 million this weekend, including a record for an animated film in Norway, raising its total to $431.8 million.
• For Catwoman a better than average opening in Australia was offset by a massive drop in France. With $2.4 million on 1100 screens in 32 markets raised its international total to just $28.1 million.
• 13 Going on 30 is doing well, considering movies with their target audience tend to do poorly in international markets. The film held up well in Germany dropping less than 30% to $1.2 million. That's over half its $2.3 million international box office and pushed its international total to $33.3 million.
• Hellboy's third place opening in Germany helped it raise its weekly take to $2.1 million. So far the film has only made $28.4 million in 26 markets, but has a chance at $100 million worldwide.
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban took in $2.0 million raising its international total to $535.1 million. Worldwide it has earned $784 million, which is still lower than the previous installments in the Harry Potter Franchise. However, its drop is slowing down so the next film should earn $700 million plus.
• Fahrenheit 9/11 continues to plug away in the international marketplace this week pulling in an estimated $2.0 million.
• A Cinderella Story opened in second place in Mexico with $1.2 million on 300 screens and an estimated $1.8 million internationally, including bouncing back into the top ten in the U.K. with $400,000. So far the film has earned $9.1 million in just 7 markets, mostly from the $6.1 million in the U.K. But more importantly, the film has been showing some strong legs, especially compared with the average film released these days.
• Van Helsing again in Japan to just $800,000 there and $1.7 internationally. A quickly dropping weekly box office will result in the worldwide total fall just short of $300 million.
• Resident Evil: Apocalypse plunged in Japan nearly two thirds to just $1.6 million. Next week it opens in Germany, which should help it jump higher on the charts.
• Open Water is showing the same pattern most films are these days, strong openings followed by quick drops. In the U.K. the film plunged 55% to $1.6 million.
• Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid made another $1.3 million this weekend to push its international box office to $12.9 million in 9 markets so far.
• Alien vs. Predator opened in third place in Brazil with $1.1 million.
• Godsend finally opened in Italy with $800,000, which pushed its international total to $12.6 million.
• The Princess Diaries 2 Australian opening was mixed. While it took in only $500,000, (including previews) its per theatre average was the third best in the top ten. The film performed better in South Africa where it managed a third place finish with $100,000.
• Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy dropped 40% during its second weekend in the U.K. to just $400,000.
• Yu Gi Oh opened in fourth place in Brazil with just $300,000.
• Thunderbirds could only manage $300 thousand and a ninth place finish with their debut in Australia.
• Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story opened number one in Singapore with $277 thousand and continues to hold up well in other markets.
• Exorcist: The Beginning opened in second place in the Philippines with $220,000.

Source: Variety

Filed under: International Box Office, Shrek 2, Spider-Man 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Bourne Supremacy, I, Robot, Van Helsing, Fahrenheit 9/11, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, The Village, Collateral, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, AVP: Alien Vs. Predator, The Terminal, Garfield: The Movie, Hellboy, A Cinderella Story, Resident Evil: Apocalypse, Exorcist: The Beginning, Catwoman, Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid, Open Water, Yu-Gi-Oh, Godsend, Thunderbirds, 13 Going On 30