International Details - International Releases are Enthralling

December 14, 2008

The top five on the international scene were published on Wednesday and can be found here.

There were nine international releases making their debuts on the charts this week, as well as several holdovers. The best of these films was Forever Enthralled, as the Chinese film took first place in its native market and sixth place internationally with $6.15 million on 1375 screens.

• WALL-E returned to the charts in seventh place with $5.62 million on 1004 screens in 12 markets for a total of $270.65 million and $494.36 million worldwide. Nearly its entire weekend haul came from Japan where it debuted in first place with $4.85 million on 458 screens for a total of $5.54 million. Given its per screen average, it should last a long time in this market making $500 million worldwide an easy target, while $300 million internationally is not out of the question.
• A.R.O.G. opened in its native Turkey with $4.47 million on 685 screens, while it brought in $660,000 on 93 screens in Germany. Add in a few smaller markets and it made $5.40 million on 800 screens in 5 markets, which was enough for eighth place.
• High School Musical 3: Senior Year rose to ninth place with $5.17 million on 2815 screens on 42 markets for a total of $140.71 million. This includes a second place opening in Australia with $2.62 million on 372 screens, while it also managed second place in neighboring New Zealand with $388,000 on 66 screens. The film opens in the Netherlands this weekend, while it doesn't end its run till February when it debuts in Japan. That final market tends to be kind to musicals, which could help the movie over the $250 million mark at the worldwide box office.
• Body Of Lies added $5.15 million on 2914 screens in 49 markets for a total of $53.85 million. This week, the film had no major openings; in fact, it had no markets where it cracked $1 million over the weekend.
• Four Christmas slipped to 11th place with $4.45 million on 947 screens in 10 markets for a early total of $9.97 million. The film opened in fourth place in Australia with $1.17 million on 200 screens, while it bombed in Germany with just $436,000 on 155 screens landing in eighth place in the process. Its best market of the weekend remained the U.K. where it added $2.24 million on 435 screens over the weekend for a total of $7.04 million after two.
• Agethe Clery opened in second place in France with $2.93 million on 498 screens, while it placed 12th internationally with $3.67 million on 515 screens in 3 markets.
• Changeling fell out of the top ten but still added $3.30 million on 108 screens in 9 markets for a total of $19.09 million. This includes the U.K. where it added $1.08 million on 352 screens over the weekend for a total of $3.98 million after two. The film's next major opening comes on the 19th when it debuts in Spain, while it doesn't end its run till it opens in Japan at the end of February.
• Saw V climbed to 14th place with $2.88 million on 1362 screens in 26 markets for a total of $43.82 million. It opened in second place in Italy with $1.32 million on 272 screens while it had to settle for fifth place in South Korea with $372,000 on 176 screens over the weekend and $497,000 in total.
• Australia fell from seventh to 15th with $2.83 million on 693 screens in 4 markets for a total of $9.85 million. It remained in first place in its native market with $2.72 million on 642 screens, while it lifted its total there to $9.70 million.
• Overspeed Scandal opened in first place in South Korea and 16th place internationally with $2.30 million on 401 screens over the weekend and $3.19 million in total.
• 252: Signal of Life opened in second place in Japan and 17th internationally with $2.18 million on 341 screens over the weekend.
• Vicky Cristina Barcelona returned to the chart in 18th place with $1.94 million on 724 screens in 20 markets for a total of $47.06 million. It was aided by a third place, $883,000 opening on 183 screens in Germany. The film still has a number of major markets left to open in, while it is closing in on Match Point's worldwide total giving it an excellent chance at becoming the biggest hit of Woody Allen's directing career.
• New Year's Tariff opened in third place in Russia with $1.81 million on 501 screens, which was enough for 19th place internationally.
• Anything For Her debuted in fourth place in France and 20th place internationally with $1.77 million on 272 screens.
• After a month on top in Japan, Red Cliff fell to third place with $1.66 million on 543 screens. It now has $44.34 million in that market and $113.68 million internationally.
• Public Enemy Number One Part 2 nearly lost another 50% this weekend down to $1.57 million on 522 screens in 3 markets over the weekend for a total of $12.19 million after three. This is still a strong showing for a French film.
• Ong-Bak 2, the sequel to Ong-Bak, opened in its native Thailand with $1.56 million on 261 screens. That was easily enough for first place in that market earning four times its nearest competition, while it placed 23rd internationally.
• I Want To Be A Shellfish landed in fourth place in Japan and 24th place internationally with $1.49 million on 330 screens over the weekend for a total of $13.98 million after three.
• Tal Der Wolfe: Muro was the second Turkish film on this week's list earning $1.42 million on 235 screens in 4 markets.
• Next opened in China with $1.31 million on 305 screens, which was enough for second place in that market. Overall it landed in 26th place, while its international total rose to $55.82 million.
• Fit Lover was right behind opened in third place in China and 27th place internationally with $1.24 million on 440 screens over the weekend and $3.94 million after two.
• Pride And Glory returned to the chart, barely, with $1.13 million on 469 screens in 13 markets over the weekend for a total of just $7.32 million. This includes its opening in France, but it struggled there with just $670,000 on 193 screens, which was only enough for eighth place there.
• Max Payne had the worst week-to-week performance on the international top 30 this week down 58% to $1.12 million on 1214 screens in 16 markets for a total of $42.65 million. This is already more than it made domestically, and it has a shot at profitability during its initial push into the home market.
• Burn After Reading fell to 30th place with $1.06 million on 699 screens in 23 markets, however, that was due to a lack of major market openings. Overall it has pulled in $74.22 million with openings in France, Japan, and other markets yet to come.

Filed under: International Box Office, WALL-E, Four Christmases, High School Musical 3: Senior Year, Australia, Max Payne, Body of Lies, Changeling, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Next, Pride and Glory, Chu Chu and the Philly Flash, Red Cliff