International Top Five - Advance Runs Get the Jump on the Competition
November 5, 2008
Two of the top five films on this week's international chart opened in advance of their domestic debuts, including the new number one film, Quantum of Solace. The film broke records during its opening in Britain with a phenomenal $25.01 million on 540 screens, which was more than two thirds of the entire box office. It also opened in first place in France with $12.65 million on 807 screens an in Sweden with $2.38 million on 149 screens over the weekend for an opening total of $2.70 million. Overall it made $40.04 million on 2,114 screens over the weekend and $40.36 million in total. The film has started faster than Casino Royale, the only question is whether it can hang on as strongly as that film did.
Speaking of hanging on, High School Musical 3: Senior Year was down 27% to $29.73 million on 4,625 screens in 34 markets for a total of $87.96 million. This includes first place openings in Italy where it made $5.25 million on 493 screens and Mexico where it pulled in $1.75 million on 535 screens. In the meantime, the film fell just 7% in France to $4.06 million on 435 screens over the weekend and $9.83 million after two. On the other hand, it fell 54% in the U.K. to $4.46 million on 475 screens over the weekend for a total of $28.91 million after two and 47% in Germany with $3.12 million on 609 screens over the weekend for $10.57 million after two and finally it made $2.50 million on 402 screens in Spain for a two-week total of $8.16 million in that market.
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa also made its debut internationally and landed in third place with $18.14 million on 640 screens in 2 markets. These two markets were Russia and the Ukraine, but we don't have separate figures. We do known it broke the record for biggest opening previously set by The Very Best Movie.
Golmaal Returns opened in India and 16 other markets and earned $7.75 million on 1,011 screens over the weekend for a total of $9.72 million so far. This is better than most Indian films manage, and as long as it doesn't completely collapse next week, it will be considered a hit.
Red Cliff returned to the chart in fifth place with $6.75 million on 545 screens over the weekend for a total of $76.09 million. All of its weekend haul came from Japan, while it has yet to open in non-Asian markets, and could see considerable growth in its running tally.
Look for the rest of the international charts on Sunday.
Filed under: International Box Office, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, Quantum of Solace, High School Musical 3: Senior Year, Red Cliff